Automation in Aircraft Systems

 Automation

Over the past few decades, automation has transcended its initial applications in manufacturing and extended its reach into sectors like healthcare, transportation, and agriculture. Robotics and autonomy have taken center stage in the development of automated and semi-automated systems, sparking concerns about the replacement of humans in the workforce and the symbiotic relationship between humans and machines in achieving shared objectives. Yet, the extensive use of autonomous functions in both crewed and uncrewed aircraft raises concerns about human operators' reliance on these systems. This dependency often leads to limited understanding of the system functions and reduced control over intervention points for human operators during certain processes.

Levels of Autonomy

Autonomy characterizes a system's capability to act, function, or decide independently or with limited external influence, embodying self-governance and self-control. It enables entities to function without direct human intervention, adhering to predefined instructions or making decisions based on acquired patterns, rules, or algorithms. In the context of UAS operations, the spectrum of automation spans from level 0 to level 9, where level 9 signifies complete autonomy.

Level 0: The computer offers no assistance; the human operator is solely responsible for all actions and decision-making.

Level 1: The computer presents a complete set of action alternatives for the human operator.

Level 2: The computer narrows down the action alternatives to a few choices for the human operator.

Level 3: The computer suggests a single action, awaiting approval from the human operator.

Level 4: The computer executes the suggested action only after receiving approval from the human operator.

Level 5: The computer gives the human operator a restricted time frame to veto an action before automatic execution.

Level 6: The computer executes an action automatically and informs the human operator about it.

Level 7: The computer informs the human operator about an executed action only if the operator requests the information.

Level 8: The computer informs the human operator about an executed action if it decides to do so after execution.

Level 9: The computer makes all decisions and acts autonomously, disregarding the human operator completely.

The illustration below showcases levels of automation related to drone application, as categorized by Cloud Factory.

Levels of Drone Automation, Courtesy of CloudFactory, 2023

The utilization of autonomy in aviation

Presently, autonomy in aircraft has evolved significantly compared to its early introduction decades ago. In the past, there were tragic accidents in general aviation, such as the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 in the Everglades, Florida, attributed to poor comprehension of these systems and excessive reliance on autonomous functions. Despite advancements made by aircraft manufacturers in automation, the Boeing 737 Max passenger jet crash in 2018 resulted in over 350 fatalities. This catastrophe was linked to the design of the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), intended to enhance aircraft handling and reduce pitch-up tendencies at high angles of attack. Reflecting on various accidents involving systems interfacing with autonomy or having control, it seems the aviation industry has aggressively implemented ambitious systems that could have benefited from more extended testing before integration into aircraft carrying hundreds of passengers.