Neuropsychological Training Tool for Scan Eagle Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Operators

Abstract

The unwanted safety events in Scan Eagle Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (uav),  have been attributed to the Human Error, especially to decision making and mission  errors, that could be susceptible to improve with specific training as a countermeasure to mitigate the risk of accidents. This paper proposes a training tool based on neuropsychological functioning for uav’s operators of the Colombian Air Force, for improving skills and risk management. An analytical cross-sectional non-experimental study was performed. Brain activity was monitored by continuous eeg using B-alert X10 during simulated missions in Scan-eagle simulator to identify beta frequency activity analytical cross section Electric electrical activity was monitored by electroencephalography (EEG) using B-alert x10 device during simulated missions in the Scan-Eagle simulator to identify higher brain activity areas and banfe-2 battery was applied to assess executive functions and thinking modes. 17 male operators of 28 ± 2,7 years were evaluated.  Results were analyzed according previous academic studies. Results showed that the six most used areas in the  art operation are those in charge of numerical ability, maneuvers that require the use of  the opposite hand to the dominant one, use of the imagination, spoken language, the reasoning  area and finally the area of three-dimensional  erception. Operators with previous flight experience, showed a medial and orbital brain activity with an automatic intuitive  thinking and lower cognitive load during eeg monitoring; on the other hand, groups without previous flight experience showed a frontal dorsolateral reflexive thinking with higher cognitive load in eeg. A tool for autonomous neurocognitive training is designed and additional alternatives are proposed to complement uav operators training for potentializing an automatic intuitive thinking with less cognitive load.