title: Operator selection for unmanned aerial systems: comparing video game players and pilots.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Popular unmanned aerial system (UAS) platforms such as the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper have experienced accelerated operations tempos that have outpaced current operator training regimens, leading to a shortage of qualified UAS operators. To find a surrogate to replace pilots of manned aircraft as UAS operators, this study evaluated video game players (VGPs), pilots, and a control group on a set of UAS operation relevant cognitive tasks.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 30 participants who volunteered for this study and were divided into 3 groups: experienced pilots (P), experienced VGPs, and a control group (C). Each was trained on eight cognitive performance tasks relevant to unmanned flight tasks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that pilots significantly outperform the VGP and control groups on multi-attribute cognitive tasks (Tank mean: VGP = 465 +/- 1.046 vs. P = 203 +/- 0.237 vs. C = 351 +/- 0.601). However, the VGPs outperformed pilots on cognitive tests related to visually acquiring, identifying, and tracking targets (final score: VGP = 594.28 +/- 8.708 vs. P = 563.33 +/- 8.787 vs. C = 568.21 +/- 8.224). Likewise, both VGPs and pilots performed similarly on the UAS landing task, but outperformed the control group (glide slope: VGP = 40.982 +/- 3.244 vs. P = 30.461 +/- 2.251 vs. C = 57.060 +/- 4.407).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cognitive skills learned in video game play may transfer to novel environments and improve performance in UAS tasks over individuals with no video game experience.
authors.affiliation: 711 HPW/RHPA, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USA.
authors.forename: R Andy
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: McKinley
authors.forename: Lindsey K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: McIntire
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Funke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000401:Aircraft; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001359:Aviation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*