The Defence Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) will in May detail a new program called Aircrew Labor
In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) that would build upon what the agency
called the considerable advances that have been made in aircraft automation
systems over the past 50 years, as well as the advances made in remotely
piloted aircraft automation, to help reduce pilot workload, augment mission
performance and improve aircraft safety. Airliners and military aircraft in
particular have evolved over a period of decades to have ever more automated
capabilities, improving mission success and safety. Easy-to-use touch and voice
interfaces could enable supervisor-ALIAS interaction.
These aircraft still present
challenging and complex interfaces to operators, and operators can experience
extreme workload during emergencies and other unexpected situations. Avionics
and software upgrades can help, but can cost tens of millions of dollars per
aircraft, which limits the rate of developing, testing and fielding new
automation capabilities for those aircraft. As an automation system, ALIAS
would execute a planned mission from takeoff to landing, even in the face of
contingency events such as aircraft system failures. The ALIAS system would
include persistent state monitoring and rapid procedure recall and would
provide a potential means to further enhance flight safety.
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