Aviation Physiology
Optics
Pilots need to be alert and continuously scanning their environment at all times in order to ensure that they are aware of, and have ample time, to contend with any unexpected events.
Larger the aircraft appears in vision one’s vision means a pilot has less time to react.
Scanning: looking at something. Scanning in a logical pattern (like 8 pie sections) in a slow manner should help your eyes to be more reliable. Can do this horizontally (left to right) or vertically (up and down).
Optical Illusions: when a person sees something in a way that appears different that it actually is - in the case of aviation, it’s caused by the eye, lighting effects, position of the aircraft.
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Types of Optical Illusions
Despite a pilot's best efforts to be alert and aware of their surroundings, a pilot's vision can be fooled by optical illusions.
Empty field myopia (Empty space myopia): a condition in which if the eyes have no object to focus on within 3 metres, our eyes will relax and not be alert. Results in a delayed detection of far-away objects.
Perspective Illusion: occurs when far away objects project onto smaller retinal images and are thus seen as smaller than those nearby. (objects seem further away when they’re all the same distance away)
Parallax illusion: Objects viewed along different lines of sight can appear to be in different places.
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Human Body
Drone pilots must also be physically prepared for missions. This includes being well rested, sober, and aware of how the environment can affect their body.
Medications: affect vision, balance. Can impair your ability to fly due to drowsiness and slow response time.
Alcohol: Can impair your ability to fly due to drowsiness and slow response time. Also affects your middle ear balance.
Heat, Cold, Carbon Monoxide: external factors that affect physiology of an RPAS pilot
Circadian Rhythm disruption: sleeping & waking 24 hour cycle; results in fatigue if changed.
Hypoxia: reduction in oxygen in tissues - results in euphoria, dizziness, nausea, headaches and shortness of breath
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