Human / automation interaction accidents: Implications for UAS operations

This paper examines the role of automation in transport category aircraft landing accidents in order to identify implications for automation design for Uninhabited Aerial Systems (UAS). Sixteen accidents involving loss of control of automation due to decision failures of the operator in the approach and landing phase of flight were identified from two commercial airline safety databases. The reports for these accidents were reviewed using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) in order to identify a list of common active and latent factors associated with automation-induced landing accidents. These common factors were then summarized and analyzed as to their root causes and the underlying role of the automation. In many instances, common human deficiencies directly contributed to the loss of control of the automation and hence the aircraft. These deficiencies are compared with previous summaries of UAS accident reports. The identified factors are used to identify implications for automated UAS landing operations.