Putting UAV operators in the cockpit

has unveiled its Universal Control System (UCS), a ‘cockpit’ that gives operators of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) better feedback and the ability to fly several aircraft at once.

Raytheon said it combined technologies from the gaming industry with the company’s existing UAS command and control experience to develop a universal cockpit built around the operator.

Raytheon designed and developed the UCS to meet operator demands and decrease human factors issues when operating a UAS. The enhanced operating system is ergonomically designed to help the operators perform their jobs more effectively.

The system gives the operator the option of standing or sitting and provides flexibility in controlling multiple functions. Raytheon claims the technology also provides a safer work environment for operators, keeping their minds more focused to perform their missions more effectively and safer. The UCS system can control multiple dissimilar UASs simultaneously, with software designed and developed by Raytheon.

Raytheon developed UCS’s intuitive interface by leveraging technologies from the gaming industry which make advanced human interface technologies simple and intuitive.