UAV remote control distraction prevention trough synthetic augmented virtual imaging and oculus rift-style headsets

A remote control station for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) based on oculus Rift-style headsets and joysticks is proposed in this paper. With this solution situation awareness and distraction can be controlled and measured during the flight. With Virtual Augmented Reality (VAR) software it is possible reproduce accurately both the cockpit and the external view thanks to the helmet tracking system. Also the head-up display (HUD) and up-to-date flight instruments can be reproduced. In this way the PF (Pilot Flyng) station can be reduced to helmet, throttle/stick joysticks with force feedback and a few additional LCDs. Another main advantage of VAR headsets is the possibility of reconfiguring the cockpit via software and to use it for several different UAVs. In Figure-5 it is possible to see a logical schema of a VAR station: the pilot inputs via helmets (line of sight direction), flight controls (stick and throttle) and switches on joysticks the data in the AVCS software (Aircraft Visualization and Control System): The Aircraft Visualization and Control System take the data from the aerial vehicles, elaborates them and outputs the external view (external visual system) and the view of instruments (instrument visualization system). These two "images" are overlapped and mixed in a highly hierarchical visualization system, where only the relevant objects are depicted. To do so the external camera images from the aerial vehicle are analyzed and cleaned of all non-relevant data. The data from the sensors are also to be included in the synthesizing process. The application of these ideas as discussed in this paper consists of the realisation of a VAR display system for a remotely piloted aerial vehicle. All the instruments are modelled via Head Up Display (HUD) while the external scenery is analyzed and only relevant elements for mission accomplishment or collision avoidance are represented. The PF have the possibility of a 360° field of view. Sound realism and true situation awareness can be then achieved. Software for distraction control and situation awareness can be easily implemented in the system. A synthetic audio interrogation system can keep track of the current state of alert of the PF. © 2006-2015 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN)