Gizmodo
According to a just-released Navy research paper, pilots of the MQ-1 Predator unmanned air vehicles are the most fatigued crews in the military, which seriously affects job performance, operational safety and family relationships. The most worrying thing is the reasons why and the lack of a clear solution:
M&S did not identify an alternative shift schedule which would result in improved work effectiveness over that predicted for the current schedule [...] the root problem for this population was not the shift system features themselves, but rather a lack of adequate manpower to provide sufficient recovery opportunities.
Simply put: they don't have any idea about why this is happening. To begin with, these pilots work from the comfort of a chair in their home bases—with no real dangers beyond a few extra pounds and evil hemorrhoids. Just like bloggers.
Unlike "real" fighter or bomber pilots, however, these crews fly the Predators using computer stations that offer them a virtual view of the Predator is seeing, as well as all the on-board instrumentation. In a way, it's like any flight simulator user, except that the images, data and target are real, as well as the payloads.
It even sounds relaxing and fun, but some time ago the Pentagon ordered a study about the health of these elite office chair pilots and found that they were indeed the most fatigued of the military flight crews. As a result, they put a plan into action to help ease their situation: the flight crews got better schedules and one extra day off to enjoy.
However, even after these measures, the new study has found that they still sleep badly and the situation is exactly the same: "nearly 50% of surveyed crewmembers met the diagnostic threshold for levels of daily sleepiness which can be expected to adversely impact job performance and safety."
Quite frankly, I find hard to image how a Predator pilot could be more fatigued than a fighter pilot doing combat missions from an aircraft carrier, but who knows, maybe the aviator eyeglasses give these special powers, while making ground crews look like a moron like me. [Navy Study (PDF) via The Dew Line]
Comments
LMFAO
Could be that they spend all of their off-duty time on WOW....
As long as the Military doesn't state that they're facing a severe Crysis....
Sleepiness or boredom????? I "played" a flight sim before. I wanted to rip my eyes out.
I wonder if it has to do with something psychological - it might be hard to come to terms with piloting unmanned aircraft that kill people...harder for some when you have to conceptualize the video-game-esque nature of the action.
Perhaps it's because it's boring as hell after a while. Fighter/bomber pilots are at least feeling the sensations of flight, and have far more incentive to stay awake. If a Predator pilot falls asleep, only his job is in danger, not his life when the remote plane crashes.
@thechansen:You, sir, are CLEARLY not cut to be a pilot. Desk jockey for you.
Jesus, I think that the main problem is not lack of sleep it's lack of physical movement. People who work office jobs experience the same effects. The human body does not like to sit around much as it causes it to go in to a rest mode.
Answer for the problem... I don't know make them run a peddle bike to power their work stations?
"Why didn't you take out that enemy tank?!" "Sorry sir, my legs were tired and my monitor shut off."
Well...a pilot...staring at a screen...in a chair...isn't exactly going to be quite excited compared to a pilot that flies combat missions and is actually there. I don't want to use the term "actual pilots" since the predator pilots are pilots...just pilots that are actually on the field are going to feel that adrenaline or rush of flying a plane at insane miles per hour. Yet sitting in a chair, staring at a screen, and doing something that seems like a flight simulator doesn't seem that interesting after a while.
They only give combat mission pilots speed. And that's a fact according to my twisted top gun.
It's clearly because the G's that the fighter-guys are pulling make them shit their pants. No one can fall asleep in their own shit pants.
Flight sim is kinda like this, it is a great game, but it can get boring very very fast.
On the other hand, most pilots see flying as fun and exciting.
The military has taken the fun out of the job, and reduced these professionals to a boring desk job level. Their commanders probably think since it is "easier" they can do more flight hours. I would get fatigued too if I had to do a boring job all day long.
let them superimpose a banshee over the predator
I'm surprised they haven't figured out that putting a person in a little box with a little screen and a joystick all day (te-he) might be so bored as to be fatigued. Ever sit around on the couch for an entire weekend? By Sunday night, you probably feel pretty crappy. I know I do. Guys flying jets have scenery and physical activity. Guys in Predator control situations barely have to move. Seems a bit of a no brainer...
I've heard of buddies that are system programers that do nothing but look at a computer screen all day coming home wiped. At first I didn't understand how they could be so tired just looking at a screen all day. I guess the lack of physical activity could cause them not to sleep well at night or something.
I bet that the fatigue comes from the amount of time they spend sitting in front of the damn computer screens. Think, for anyone who spends all day blogging or writing or typing away in front of two or more monitors, you're exhausted. You probably have trouble sleeping as well. I know I do on occasion. Plus those monitors used are probably very bright and hard on the eyes.
Regular pilots look outside, viewing objects extremely far, which is very easy on the eyes (which are muscles, remember?). They also are flying so damn fast that they aren't really sitting still, and the change of g-force strength is very constant, so they're moving around inside.
Armchair pilots sit and stair at a screen feet from their faces with the brightness and contrast turned way up, not moving much at all and they don't feel tired at all because there's no physical strain...or easily recognizable one.
Just a thought.
@DestroyerMTL:
somebody hasnt been around too many old people
They should do some exercise, like 15 minutes jogging outside after 2h30 of work. Thats simple and should work better than a additional day off.
Well then take a nap, AND THEN FIRE ZE MISSILES!
My guess is lack of peripheral surroundings demands extra focus and causes more strain.
I mean fighter pilots have alot of pressures but they have adrenaline to help them out and and and.. scenery!
Uh.. yeah.
You have to realize that the guys in the chairs are not flying 1 bird. They have several birds that they are watching at a time.
They are so hard up on getting people to fly them, that they are taking real pilots and putting them in the program.
Its alot diffrent flying a 4-8 hour mission in combat patrol, then it is to be "flying" 5-8 UAV's in a room the size of a twin bed.
I build MQ-1 and MQ-9's for a living.
Trust me these pilots have a crappy job.
One question - how long is a typical iron sortie, vs. a Predator mission? The Predator op is sitting in a quiet unmoving chair for (I'm guessing) longer periods of time than a 'blue ceiling' pilot. Furthermore, as others have pointed out, they're not getting either exercise or shots of adrenaline from the experience.
@male roof blower:
AHHHH MOTHERLAND!
@Kaiser-Machead:
on the head. There's no threat, there's no mental challenge or reason for vigilance reactions to engage in your body. You became a battery of sorts: you power the flight operations of something miles away. Your skills for split second reactions aren't as important. It's not life or death. It's extra lives.
Not only are predator pilots the most fatigued military flight crews, but they are the most fatiguing to read about as well.
@chiablo: then australia said: aw fuck this m8
@jrghoull: Checkmate.
I'd say that they are always tired because they don't need to stay in shape. If they worked out as much as a real pilot, then they would probably be more awake and alert....plus that job has to be boring as all hell.
Is anyone else surprised that the military used the word "sleepiness" in a report?
Maybe they need the top gun theme playing in the background.
I would think it's pretty easy to explain. They aren't really engaging in any kind of actual physical activity. Even when you are flying a plane, you may be sitting, but you are actively more aware of dangers of your situation and even get the benefit of adrenaline when things get dicey.
It's like playing a computer game. I used to be VERY addicted to games where I would spend hours and even days playing them. I was so out of whack and was always super tired even though I slept like 9 and 10 hours a day.
I wasn't getting outside or engaging in anything real. I basically had become a robot instead of a human being.
Even today I feel the reprecussions of it.
@Darkest Daze: The Air Force has physical fitness standards, just as the other military branches do. While fighter pilots may have higher requirements, ALL Air Force member's are required to maintain a standard, regardless of their job.
Ummm, Jesus? I think the "why" answer was right there in the body of the block quote you used.
"The root problem for this population was ... a lack of adequate manpower to provide sufficient recovery opportunities."
As a number of people have mentioned, even sitting in front of a computer screen in a chair all day can tire you out. And the problem is that these guys have to spend too many shifts doing so without the ability to take breaks. They can't run out for a bite to eat, a quick nap, or a jog around the block any more than a pilot in a cockpit can. One possible solution thus presents itself: train more pilots. Easier said than done, certainly, but this isn't an entirely hopeless situation, nor is some mystery condition insidiously wiping out all of our UAV pilots.
They should just make control of the UAV's available through XBOX live. I'm sure someone is just sitting around playing video games anyhow.
@sergeant joker: i'm in iraq right now, and let me tell you, the air force MALES don't have a fitness standard. the females are always in the gym, the guys are a joke.
and you know what? i bet the predator pilots' job sucks, and i bet they get tired, but i'll trade them any day. try laying on a roof, looking through a 10x scope for a day and a half, no matter what the weather. then add coming DOWN off an adrenaline rush. i appreciate all the air support we get, but seriously, i don't care how tired they are. when they're the ones in danger, they can bitch.
they need to set the refresh rate of their monitors higher than 75 hertz
Ever dream in first person shooter? I have after playing too long and too late. These guys probably dream in predator mode. In the cockpit pilots fly only a few hours compared to their non-flight time so they get a break from flying.
@dukemang: Not to mention, flying a predator is probably pretty monotonous. Sure, they can shoot hellfire's, but for every time they shoot at somebody, they probably have hours of doing nothing except monitoring the screens. It's like flying one of the little Cessna's on MS Flight Simulator for hours.
Most "real" fighter/bomber jocks are not in the air 9-5 all week long. Predators have silly hang time. While a B2 pilot may fly some insane 42hr mission from the US to Kerboomistan he's not gonna do it three times in a week.
And yes, the UAV driver may not be in danger, but the troops on the ground depend on him and that stress must be insane. Now have the responsibility all day, every day.
This is not unlike what air traffic controllers deal with, although much worse I would imagine.
These guys are 'real' pilots, just doing a UAV tour. So the argument that they're not as fit as real pilots etc. isn't valid. The job can be incredibly stressful because their services are in high demand, and they're directly involved in life and death situations.
@icelight: Wow...FINALLY...someone who can read. I was thinking...ok, somehow Giz missed it...someone will point it out right away...then I'm like 40 comments down before anyone notices that it says the problem is not enough staff. DUH. Of course they are tired...tedious job, not enough recovery time. Not to surprising. The point of the report wasn't "Crap..we have NO idea why this is happening", the point was "Hey, bad news, changing the shift schedule ain't gonna help, we actually need more people."
don't correct my "to exciting" ...Yeah, I know it should be "too exciting"...bleh.
I'm surmising a couple of things. Number one, these are real pilots. Maybe not top gun fighters, but fully qualified none the less. Number two, they put in A LOT more hours than the "real" pilots. Maybe they should not specialize, and have all pilots rotate in and out of Predator service.
As with every most problems in life, this one can be solved with outsourcing! All you need is a fiber connection to your home and a three month correspondence course and before you know it, you too could be dropping bombs on houses in Oklahoma!
Nobody's read Joe Haldeman's Forever Peace? He wrote about this in the early 90s, how all future wars would be fought remotely, and the drone operators would have all kinds of psychological problems from being in combat one moment and then stateside the next.
SIMPLE:
Have the same rotating schedule, but with a pool of pilots taking every 5th day off. Secondly make daily physical exhaustion mandatory, (should fix those sleeping problems). For constant 24h/day operation a pilot to plane ratio of 6:1 would be required (though as little as 4:1 would suffice in the short term). For any shorter shift operation (less than 16h) 3:1 is necessary for reliable performance, (otherwise in short term 2:1 for operation exceeding 8h/day and 1:1 for less)
I think it's similar to the downer that you get after playing a computer game. Anyone who's gone to bed at 3am after playing for hours knows it's impossible to switch off, your brain keeps going around and around. It's probably a similar stress to airport controllers, intense concentration without physical exertion.
After a stressful/adrenaline-filled real session in a plane or tank it's a different kind of come-down. You're tired and you're exhausted because the stress is mental and physical not just mental.
The solution? Make them use those Playstation bikes while they fly AND try not to kill civilians AND don't crash the million dollar plane.
I should be a gamer psychologist.
I had no such troubles back in my QUAKE days.
Bathroom nearby? -check
Mt. Dew feed? -nominal
Bong? -cleaned and packed
they need to start playing some top gun music... something to increase the adrenaline in these guys during flight...
its fatigue from bordom, the reason piolets in real fights arent tired is ... THEY ARE IN DANGER! In turn they have adrenaline coursing through their veins its exciting... the guys on the predators are laxing in office loungers... theirs no danger, their litterally falling asleep but not because they keep themselves awake to fly... thats taxing...
what they should do is talk to the guys from some of the game companys ... cause after a game of COD4 im not tired ... im pumped i wanna keep going even after 3-4 days of playing with minimal sleep.