Tactical Communications Training Environment for Unmanned Aircraft System Operators

Abstract

In aviation operations, there is an increased need for effective and efficient opportunities for UAS operators to learn critical communication and teamwork skills. The Night Vision Tactical Trainer - Shadow (NVTT-Shadow) was developed as a game-based desktop solution to train tactical communications skills for the UAS payload operator. It is intended as supplementary training for U.S. Army 15W Advanced Individual Training Soldiers (AIT) to learn and practice MUM-T tactical communications skills. NVTT-Shadow combines speech and text recognition, and natural language processing, with a human performance measurement platform to provide interactions, in a nominal mission environment, thereby enabling training of critical voice communication skills. Real-time audio feedback was provided to Soldiers throughout communications with virtual entities. Access to remediation and cumulative performance scores was available via after action reviews. An initial user assessment was conducted at Ft. Huachuca AZ with eight advanced individual training Soldiers and UAS course instructors. The usability testing demonstrated the feasibility of interactive gaming applied to MUM-T tactical communications. Ratings and comments from both students and instructors validated the need as well as mission context, game content, and game relevance.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 15, 2016
Accession Number
AD1037017

Entities

People

  • Kevin M. Sullivan
  • Susan R. Flaherty

Organizations

  • Aptima (United States)

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Anti-Tank Missiles
  • Automated Speech Recognition
  • Computational Linguistics
  • Ground Control Stations
  • Language
  • Natural Language Processing
  • Natural Languages
  • Psychology
  • Reconnaissance Aircraft
  • Social Sciences
  • Students
  • Tactical Communications
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Unmanned Systems
  • Voice Communications

Readers

  • Military Training and Readiness Simulation
  • Team-Based Human-Centered Cognitive Task Decision Making and Information Performance.
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - Human-Robot Interaction