AIRCREW LABOR IN‑COCKPIT AUTOMATION SYSTEM PROGRAMALIAS RESULTS
Artist’s Concept
ADVANCED AUTOMATION TO ENABLE REDUCED CREW OPERATIONS ALIAS
AIRCREW LABOR IN-COCKPIT AUTOMATION SYSTEM
ALIAS is an in-cockpit automation system that acts as a pilot’s assistant, capable of operating an aircraft from takeoff to landing, including contingencies. Its modular design enables extensibility to almost any aircraft type, fixed- or rotary-wing. The level of automation is adjustable to suit pilot preference. Ultimately, ALIAS will enable reduced crew operations. Current Para i m ALIAS Para i m The ALIAS program is funded by the Defense Pilot 1 Pilot 2 Pilot 1 Pilot 2 Wor share Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Mission Human Pilot Mana ement varies ase Aurora has successfully developed, extended, on availa le and flight-tested ALIAS across three different technolo ies or pilot aircraft (commercial and military) in less than Lo -level li ht ALIAS Activities pre erence 24 months.
ALIAS Components
In-Cockpit User Interface • Machine‑vision cameras trained on Perception instrument panel non-invasively perceive aircraft state • Custom-developed software includes a reconfigurable set of plug-ins for the wide variety of instruments and effectors that are found in cockpits: switches, lights, knobs, levers, gauges, etc. • Plug-ins can be rapidly tailored to the specific layout, number, and type of instruments and effectors in a new cockpit
Easy to use in-cockpit tablet provides primary interface between the pilot and the ALIAS Autonomy Core • Software backbone of ALIAS, providing automation, including: open interfaces to subsystems as well as • Checklist monitor third party applications • Moving maps Mission Software • Includes flight control system (based on an existing aircraft model, or a custom • Speech recognition & synthesis aerodynamic model developed using Flight Control • System & aircraft status Aurora’s system identification methods), and mission software to support a variety • Distribution of tasks between of applications pilot and automation system
• Non-invasive actuation suite is composed of a custom-designed versatile manipulation Actuation system for primary flight controls (yoke/stick, rudder pedals) and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) robotic arm for secondary flight controls (throttle, levers, switches) • Alternatively, a toolbox architecture allows ALIAS to use a variety of actuation solutions, developed under ALIAS and other programs, with varying levels of invasiveness and capabilities (see opposite page) • Design is fully driven by customer requirements and tailorable to the specific aircraft and/ or applications ALIAS Extensibility and Adaptability • Rapidly adaptable to new aircraft types Direct On oar Autopilot Control Direct Si nal • Open interface core architecture to easily Manipulation Centaur incorporate third party applications Direct S stem Lin a e Manipulation AE -1 Primary Actuation • Toolbox-based approach for subsystem devel- Electromechanical Secondary Actuation opment, including actuation (left graphic), pro- Manipulation Pneumatic Centaur Manipulation vides customizable configuration, invasiveness, Depth of Integration Ro otic Arm and capabilities depending on the customer’s Capability requirements Focus on echnical ool o pproach Aurora has evelope a ran e o primar an secon ar actuation solutions that span the ran e o remova ilit an capa ilit . Adjustable Automation Supports Human-Machine Teaming
ood Best Performance
S
Performance Optimal Pilot Performance
Total Workload Total ilot oor Pilot is bored Pilot is severly overtasked Lo Workload igh Nominal Cruise Leg Critial Contingency Derived from: Yerkes RM, Dodson JD (1908)
ALIAS facilitates optimal pilot performance, by allowing the pilot to perform tasks best suited to a human (e.g. complex cognition/mission planning) and ALIAS to perform tasks best suited to automation (e.g. monitoring instruments). In very high workload situations, ALIAS can bear much of the burden, allowing the pilot to operate at near- optimal performance. The role of ALIAS is determine by the pilot for any flight or any flight segment • ALIAS can operate as a flight monitor by monitoring the state of the aircraft and comparing it with known flight phases, as well as retrieve procedures and record flight data • If desired by the pilot or necessary due to a high workload situation, ALIAS can fly the airplane including simple and complex maneuvers, retrieve and execute procedures including secondary flight control, and maintain planned mission path
WWW.AURORA.AERO Headquarters Aurora Flight Sciences is a leader in the development and manufacturing 9950 Wakeman Drive of advanced unmanned systems, autonomy technologies, and aerospace Manassas, VA 20110 vehicles. Phone: 703.369.3633 We are headquartered in Manassas, Virginia and operate production Research & Development Center plants in Bridgeport, West Virginia and Columbus, Mississippi. Aurora 90 Broadway, Suite 11 has Research and Development Centers in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, MA 02142 Dayton, Ohio and Mountain View, California, and a European office, Phone: 617.500.4800 Aurora Swiss Aerospace, located in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Oct 2016
Contact Information Phone: 703.369.3633 [email protected] WWW.AURORA.AERO