Understanding Human Decision-Making when Controlling UAVs in a Search and Rescue Application

The introduction of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) within Search and Rescue operations provides human operators with ‘eyes in the sky’. However, little attention has been paid to the implications of UAV technology on the sensor operator responsible for analysing UAV data, such as aerial imagery. This is despite the integral nature of the role for supporting the mission objective, namely, locating the missing person(s). Within the field of Human Factors, theoretical decision models have been used to identify user requirements for interfaces, training protocols, workstation layouts, and decision aids. We propose that decision models can be applied to the study of Human-Robot Interaction. Thus, the current paper presents a literature review of decision models used within Human Factors. The provision of a UAV within a Search and Rescue operation is used to case study the utility of these decision models for capturing the aspects of decision-making exercised by the sensor operator.