Unmanned Aerial System Operator Selection Tools

Traditional selection and training practices are essential initial selection tools that show some general levels of predictive validity overall. However, current Navy selection tools are not good predictors of performance for Navy air system AVOs. In our targeted solution, we utilize proprietary methodologies that combine standard methods for selection and training of industry personnel, such as the training needs assessment and job analysis processes, with our job task inventory to goal directed task analysis mapping process. The results include a powerful linkage matrix product, which combines tasks characteristics (e.g., task difficulty, severity, importance, frequency, etc.) with knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs). In turn, this linkage matrix is resourced to identify and develop selection criteria that are expected to be predictive of performance. The primary objective of our selection tool is to screen for applicants that do not meet minimum baseline performance on dimensions that are hard or impossible to train, such as innate aptitudes, predispositions, and other individual antecedents or precursors. Furthermore, our approach is also aimed at maximizing retention from the pool of applicants while also very effectively screening out those applicants that do not meet baseline performance on critical non-trainable KSAOs.