The Ground Based Detection of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) application supports research into how Airmen use auditory cues to locate and visually identify sUAS threats under complex, real-world conditions, such as varied lighting, weather, and ambient noise. 

Outcomes and Additional Information

• The program allows researchers to customize scenarios based on environment, sUAS model, flight path, weather, and participant starting position. Six quadcopters can be used across five different environments. 

• The application records time-synchronized data throughout each trial, including participant and aircraft positions and orientations, the participant’s viewing direction, and timestamps marking when the participant first hears the sUAS, first sees it, can no longer hear it, and can no longer see it. 

• Researchers can access the recorded data through logs for quantitative analysis and through a 3D replay that reconstructs the aircraft’s flight, the participant’s movements, and the participant’s viewing direction at the original speed. The 3D replay provides additional context for understanding how auditory cues guided the participant’s visual search during each trial.

• By providing precise control over sUAS altitude, speed, and sound, it effectively assesses participants' identification and tracking capabilities. 

• Future work will include adding more sUAS models, acoustic profiles, and flight-path options.