Navy developing Game of Drones

ARLINGTON, Va. – Can a video game help the Navy find future operators for its remotely operated, unmanned drones? Pensacola, Fla.-based Naval Aerospace Medical Institute, and a commercial software company, Adaptive Immersion Technologies, are in the process of developing a computer game – called StealthAdapt - to identify potential operators for their remotely operated, unmanned vehicles (UxV). "This fast-paced, realistic computer simulation of UxV missions could be an effective recruitment tool," said Lt. Cmdr. Peter Walker, program officer at the Office of Naval Research. Since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, UxVs have played major roles in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The Air Force and Marines have established their own screening processes, but the Navy doesn't have an official training pipeline for UxV operators. In 2017, more than 400 civilian and military volunteers participated as StealthAdapt research subjects at Navy and AF training centers. The Adaptive research team currently is reviewing results and designing an updated system for validation by prospective Navy and AF unmanned operators. It will be ready for fleet implementation later this year. (Source: Office of Naval Research 03/19/18)