Levels of Automation in Multi-UAV Control Allocation and Router Tasks

Supervisory control of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) raises many questions concerning the balance of system autonomy with human interaction for optimal operator situation awareness and system performance. A UAV simulation environment designed to manipulate the application of automation was used to evaluate participants’ performance on allocation and router tasks. Two levels of automation were applied such that performance on each task was evaluated as a function of automation level and as a function of whether the automation level was the same or different across the two tasks that were completed in tandem. Trials also involved completion of several mission-related secondary tasks as participants supervised three UAVs. The results showed that the higher automation level resulted in faster completion time for both tasks, yet a lower automation level resulted in more accurate router task performance. Task completion time was also better when the level of automation was the same across the two tandem tasks. These results provide additional support to the notion that the automation level of one task may impact the performance of another task being performed in a mission.