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The human-machine partnership in UCAV operations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

A. D. White
A. D. White*
Affiliation:
QinetiQ , Cody Technology Park Farnborough, UK
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Abstract

At a time when a great deal of research on UCAVs is aimed at maximising their autonomy it should not be forgotten that human operators will, ultimately, remain ‘in control’ to some degree. The decision-sharing relationship between the operator and the UCAV depends on political constraints as well as the intelligence of the UCAV system. This in turn dictates the amount and type of information to be exchanged and the way in which it is communicated with the operator.

Operational flexibility is a key military driver and in order to achieve it, a variable autonomy command interface, combined with information fusion and intelligent decision-support systems, will be required. To be effective the operator will need to work in concert with the UCAV system rather than act simply as a command source and an information sink. The implications of this ‘partnership’ for command and monitoring requirements and in particular for weapons release authorisation, are discussed in this paper.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 107 , Issue 1068: The UAV Special Issue , February 2003 , pp. 111 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2001 

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