8. Human Factors Implications of Unmanned Aircraft Accidents: Flight-Control Problems

The most basic solution for monitoring position and attitude of an UA is through direct line-of-sight. Because they are usually standing outside, a pilot that maintains direct line-of-sight with the aircraft is usually referred to as the EP, as opposed to an internal pilot (IP) who obtains position and attitude information electronically while inside of a ground control station (GCS). Flight using an EP represents the most basic solution to the problem of separating the pilot from the aircraft while still enabling the pilot to monitor the location and attitude of the aircraft. Pilot perspective is changed from an egocentric to an exocentric point of view. Maintaining visual contact with the UA, the EP can control the aircraft using a hand-held radio control box. Many of these control boxes are similar to those used by radio-controlled aircraft hobbyists and provide direct control of the flight surfaces of the aircraft through the use of joysticks on the box. Very little automation is involved in the use of such boxes, which control the flight surfaces of the aircraft.