A simulation framework to validate the use of head-mounted displays and tablets for information exchange with the UAV safety pilot

The purpose of the present paper is to determine whether the use of advanced Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) could improve the Situation Awareness (SA) of the safety pilot in an UAV operation. Despite the tendency to develop more autonomous vehicles, the presence of a safety pilot will continue to be important particularly in complex situations, instances of system failures or automation bias. This research considers that the pilot is physically located in the field and needs to be informed about the UAV status and mission progress. A simulation environment with three different scenarios is proposed. The scenarios include a radio link interface, a tablet interface and a vision through Head-Mounted Display (HMD). In order to evaluate each solution, NASA-TLX and SAGAT questionnaires were used. Finally, results showed better performance and reduced workload in the HMD in comparison with other approaches.