Study examines how different levels of automation affect collaboration, workload and decision-making in future flight operations
Artificial intelligence and assistance systems are progressively finding their way into the cockpit. In future, digital assistants could support pilots in many tasks – or even take over completely in certain situations. At the same time, there are concepts in which commercial aircraft are to be controlled temporarily (extended minimum crew operations) or permanently (single pilot operations) by just one pilot.
But how can humans and digital systems work together optimally? To answer this question, the Institute of Flight Guidance at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) conducted a study with 19 commercial pilots in the iSIM cockpit simulator from 16 June to 11 July. The tests took place as part of the European research project DARWIN (Digital Assistants for Reducing Workload and Increasing collaboratioN), which is supported by SESAR JU and carried out by a consortium composed of DLR (exercise coordinator), Honeywell (consortium coordinator), Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, and EUROCONTROL.
At the centre of the study was the so-called teaming display, developed at DLR. This system shows which tasks are currently pending in the cockpit and who should take care of them – the human or the assistance systems. The display can assign tasks automatically, for example based on the pilot’s current performance level, while still allowing manual adjustment. In decision-making situations, it also provides support by presenting possible solutions.
Two variants of the teaming display tested
Two different variants of the display were used, corresponding to different degrees of automation. In the first variant, with a lower level of automation, the pilot had to actively approve changes in task allocation suggested by the system. In decision-making situations, several options were presented for selection.
In the second, more highly automated variant, task changes were automatically implemented without confirmation. In decision-making situations, only one system-recommended option was displayed, which could be accepted or rejected by the pilot.
During the study, pilots were confronted with four different flight scenarios – both with and without support from the teaming display – to assess how the system influences cockpit task management.
Effects on the human pilot
Throughout the scenarios, researchers recorded attention distribution using eye tracking, as well as the decisions made by the pilots. This allowed them to evaluate cooperation with the assistance system and to assess the impact of the display on workload and situational awareness. Participants also gave feedback on usability and overall impressions of the system.
Initial results show that a flexibly deployable teaming display can provide valuable support in the cockpit, especially in future operations where reduced crew concepts may apply. The findings also offer guidance for further development of such systems, with the aim of enhancing safety and reducing pilot workload.
More about the project
