Roberto Sabatini at FAA New and Emerging Aviation Technologies (NEAT)
Host: FAA New and Emerging Aviation Technologies (NEAT)
Event Date: 12 March 2024
Event Format: Hybrid
Event Summary:
The distinguished lecture titled "Cognitive Human-Machine Systems for Future Aviation" was hosted by the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) as part of the New and Emerging Aviation Technologies (NEAT) virtual presentation series. This FAA NEAT program is a significant platform for advancing discussions on cutting-edge aviation technologies, with active participation from key FAA divisions, including Aviation Safety (AVS), the NAS Human Factors Safety Research Laboratory (AAM-520), the Aerospace Human Factors Research Division (AHFRD), the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), and the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC). Bringing together a diverse group of PhDs, principal investigators, engineers, programmers, and subject matter experts, the NEAT platform provided an ideal opportunity to share AESS Avionics Systems Panel (ASP) research and insights into the development of Cognitive Human-Machine Interfaces and Interaction (CHMI2) systems. These systems are designed to enable adaptive automation in next-generation avionics and Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems, with a particular focus on their application in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM).
The presentation built upon prior work featured in the AESS 'Systems' Magazine publication "From the Editors of the Special Issue on Urban Air Mobility and UAS Airspace Integration: Vision, Challenges, and Enabling Avionics Technologies" (lead by the AESS Avionics Systems Panel), as explicitly requested by the FAA NEAT leadership.
The lecture highlighted three key applications of CHMI2 systems:
- A Virtual Pilot Assistant (VPA) system for single-pilot commercial aircraft operations.
- A Ground Control Station (GCS) for managing multiple UAS operations.
- Dynamic Airspace Management for UTM and UAM.
Attendance was strong and the interactive Q&A session that followed the lecture was deep and insightful. The presentation resonated within both the FAA-NEAT and the IEEE-AESS audiences, which are actively engaged in diverse research areas such as AI in aviation, human-automation teaming, advanced air mobility, and autonomous systems. Insights into CHMI2 systems and their applications in UTM and UAM provided valuable perspectives on how adaptive automation can enhance aviation safety, efficiency, and sustainability.