Cognitive task analysis for unmanned aerial system design

Abstract

Unmanned aerial systems are complex tools requiring thoughtful designs that account for the platform, payloads, and human users as a holistic system. Often, the focus is first placed on designing the platform or payload, and the human element is considered later. Unfortunately, such system design approaches do not properly consider the human cognitive limitations and do not design the system to support the human’s tasks and decision-making. This chapter provides an overview of cognitive analysis methods that can be integrated into the early system design process to account for the human element. Specifically, this chapter provides an overview of task analysis, work analysis, and information flow analysis methods along with an overview of how individual methods from the different analysis classes have been combined. Specific examples of applying these analyses methods to unmanned aerial systems, ranging from potential futuristic systems to research systems to deployed systems, are also reviewed.