ABSTRACT

Medical assessment of remote pilot should include level of cognitive, sensory and physical function, and risk of sudden and subtle incapacitation per national civilian and/or military authority regulations. Occupational and human performance issues should be understood and addressed by aerospace medicine practitioners. Aeromedical challenges include lack of sensory cues, design of controls, data transmission delays, automation, management of workload/attentional resources, crew handover issues and fatigue. Remote pilot should have a current medical assessment of level of cognitive, sensory and physical function, and risk of sudden and subtle incapacitation, as per national civilian and/or military authority regulations. Medical examiner should consider the specific remote pilot and work environment, platform and mission when assessing medical fitness and determining what is acceptable versus unacceptable with respect to risk to life and mission effectiveness. Medical fitness qualification levels may become increasingly stringent with increasing aircraft weight.