Automation Tradeoffs Analysis Tool

Today's high rate of technological development has led to a variety of automation technologies appropriate for application in Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV's). These technologies permit a high degree of autonomous UAV operation. Manned control over future UAV's is still required to: provide UAV tactics and mission plans, control the UAV under anomalous and/or degraded system operating states, and provide a C2 liink between the UAV and other friendly assets. An analysis tool is required to assess the utility of UAV automation alternatives to ensure that resulting UAV design concepts use manned operators efficiently. For UAV tradeoff assessments, the metrics produced by this tool should be consistent with evaluation criteria used to judge other UAV components. The tool must also provide cost benefit measures to ensure that UAV designs are affordable. This proposal addresses these needs through the development of an Automation Tradeoffs Analysis Tool (ATAT). The proposed ATAT system integrates detailed human operator, UAV mission, campaign, and cost benefit simulation models. The ATAT system incorporates a comprehensive user shell to aid designers and evaluators in performing trade studies. Phase I program deliverables include: detailed ATAT system design specifications, Phase II development plans, and a pre-prototype demonstration of the system.