Page 16 - Forum-2020-JulyToSeptember

Evolution of Mishap Prevention:

Human Factors Evaluation for Unmanned Aircraft Systems

By Elise Lagerstrom, Ph.D., Insitu Inc., Human Factors Mishap Investigator

(Adapted with permission from he aviation safety team and processes become more reactive, to anticipate the shift
the author’s technical paper at Insitu uses both reliable, leading to decreased in the root cause of mishaps in
Evolution of Mishap Prevention: proactive and reactive material failures and increased UAS from material to hu-
Application of Human Factors Tevaluation techniques relative prevalence of mishaps man-related causes.
Evaluation Techniques for to improve overall product due to human error. Statis-
Unmanned Aircraft Systems quality and usability. Recently, tics on the substantial role of
(UAS), presented during ISASI Proactive Mishap Prevention
2019, Sept. 3–5, 2019, in The Hague, methods such as focus groups human factors in aviation mis- Programs
the Netherlands. The theme for and interviews, a year-round haps were first published back One of the ways we are working
ISASI 2019 was “Future Safety: Has focus on hazard reporting from in 1993; however, this distribu-
the Past Become Irrelevant?” The all employees, and use of the tion still holds true today with to anticipate and prevent
full presentation can be found on Human Factors Analysis and the latest statistics indicating future mishaps is by moving
the ISASI website at www.isasi.org Classification System (HFACS) 70–80% of aviation mishaps are to proactive forms of mishap
in the Library tab under Technical in mishap investigations and attributed to human error. In prevention. To do this, we have
Presentations.—Editor) implemented several initiatives
near-misses have resulted manned aviation, the focus of
in actionable and functional safety and mishap prevention with the goal of identifying
recommendations. has appropriately shifted to and tracking threats before
The most common recom- address the human-machine they result in mishaps. Four of
mendations generated by these interface (HMI) and usability these initiatives include a line
prevention programs center with advances in technology, operations safety audit (LOSA)
on curriculum/training of such as the glass cockpit, aug- program with specific focus on
pilots and maintainers, pilot mented reality, and improved UAS, pilot workload and usabil-
experience, gaps between training simulations. However, ity assessments, tracking of ac-
system capabilities and desired in unmanned aviation, it could tive and latent conditions using
functionality, and system docu- be argued that we lag behind, HFACS for near-miss events,
mentation. with a focus on perfecting the and the use of focus groups
As a result of dispositioning airframe, autopilot logic, and and user interviews with pilots
recommendations to the re- performance characteristics and maintenance personnel.
sponsible teams, findings from to meet varying operational Each of these methods has
the programs and methods demand. While these advances provided different and valuable
mentioned in this study have are essential to safe operations, recommendations that can be
been used to there is a warped and inappro- pushed upstream to design and
• correct documentation priate feel that the role of the engineering teams, as well as
downstream to the end users.
gaps and errors. pilot and safety of the system
• change autopilot logic for are somehow less important
improved integration with because of the lack of physical LOSA
manned aviation. human presence within the air- According to an FAA advisory
craft. This attitude is detrimen- circular, “A LOSA is a formal
• improve maintenance tal not only to the development
procedures and documen- process that requires expert
tation. of systems, but also to attempts and highly trained observers
to integrate the unmanned to ride the jumpseat during
• modify the pilot curricu- aircraft system (UAS)/remotely regularly scheduled flights to
lum. piloted aircraft system (RPAS) collect safety-related data on
• change the user interface into airspace with manned environmental conditions,
to improve pilot situational platforms. operational complexity, and
awareness and monitoring Insitu is a company focused flight crew performance.
of aircraft function. on UAS; however, we believe Confidential data collection
that to be safe and successful and nonjeopardy assurance for
Introduction aviators, we need to refocus on pilots are fundamental to the
The evolving root cause of the pilot. In the last year, we process.” For successful LOSA
aviation mishaps has been well have integrated human factors program implementation to
documented; with technolog- evaluation techniques and occur, there must be support
Elise Lagerstrom ical development, materials programs, both proactive and throughout the initiating
16 • July-September 2020 ISASI Forum