On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, researchers in the Human-Autonomy Teaming (HAT) Laboratory completed a human-in-the-loop (HITL) simulation in support of the
System-Wide Safety (SWS) project Safety Demonstrator Series. This study was designed to demonstrate and evaluate how a set of NASA developed services, functions, and capabilities (SFCs) could be used in operational hurricane relief and recovery scenarios. Twelve uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) remote pilots were run through three 30-minute scenarios in which they managed up to six UAS performing supply drops to residents stranded after a severe hurricane.
The supply drop flights were operating beyond visual line of site (BVLOS). There were also other scripted operations including search and rescue and levee inspection missions creating airspace constraints for the supply drop mission. The SFCs helped with scheduling and conformance monitoring of the supply drop flights and alerted pilots to and helped mitigate various contingencies including GPS degradation and intrusions by non-participant aircraft.
Data were collected on pilot performance and mission success as well as subjective ratings of workload and usability and their perceptions of the operational concept. This information and lessons learned will flow back into the preparations for SWS hurricane relief and recovery operational evaluation flight tests planned for 2027.
