The effect of display size on performance of operational tasks with UAVs

The user-Interface of military dismounted systems has extreme influence on soldiers' ability to complete their missions and to protect themselves during combat. This work focused on the type of displays required to retrieve information from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in operational situations. Twenty IDF soldiers with limited experience in operating UAVs, participated in this simulated study of display-size preferences. In the 3 x 2 within subject design, participants used 3 types of displays on two missions: navigation and target detection. Performance data was collected for both tasks. Participants also completed the NASA-TLX and a closing questionnaire. Statistical analyses showed that performance differences between displays were task dependent. Thus, some tasks can be performed with a smaller display at the same level of performance by exerting more mental effort. Furthermore, sensitivity to task difficulty was evident.