Notes

Do Drone Pilots Train on Video Games?

Before we can get to the issue to be addressed, it's essential to understand the desires and requirements of our military defense personnel. They do not like the term "drone" for their incredible flying machines. They prefer remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). You may be confused by their lack of understanding of the meaning of words. gamemusichall The term "drone" suggests an entirely automated experience. However the pilots, along with sensor operators and intelligence analysts, are key to making the drone an effective piece. [Source: Hurwitz]. The process of piloting a drone involves more than using a joystick or pressing a red button.



Which brings us to the next question: How different is flying a drone from playing games on video? Is RPA pilot training any different than a 15 year old boy's Friday night? The first question is - as you would expect an array of contradicting opinions. There is a reason why some drone pilots may be offended by comparisons of their work - which may involve actually killing human beings as well as video games [source: Blackhurst]. On the other hand, research conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed that players of video games were specifically suited to drone operations due to their increased concentration on multiple aspects at a time [source: Canadian Press ].'" In reality, a lot of pilots have been drafted from actual military flying programs, where they were logging time flying real aircraft [source: Hurwitz]. There's not much evidence that the military is actively providing video games for training however, there are plenty of anecdotal tales about drone pilots who appear to perform better because of their gaming experience [source: Democracy Now].



One piece that does get mentioned quite a bit? Video games, while offering an adequate simulation or at least being capable of fine-tuning hand-eye coordination - aren't going to provide drone pilots with one real-world experience that's quite integral to their daily routines: boredom. While you might imagine flying an unmanned aircraft as a thrilling experience it is actually a lot more boring than it sounds. If you're asked to gather data about a specific area or person, you might be flying for weeks around in circles, recording the mundane life that's happening or completely absent in the small area you're watching [source: Hurwitz].



It's quite different than videogames, where players are constantly challenged to the limit in order to get their adrenaline. However it is possible that a player who plays video games might be better suited to it than, for instance, an Air Force or Marine pilot who has been trained for action and now is being forced to sit in an office all day long and explore the same terrain for hours at a stretch [source: Breeden]. So while drone pilots might not be training informally on video games, there is reason to believe that gaming experience could be a beneficial step towards drone-related careers.



Blackhurst, Rob. "Drone Pilots say that their job is not like playing video games." Business Insider. Sept. 24, 2012. (May 25, 2015) http://www.businessinsider.com/drone-pilots-say-their-job-is-not-like-playing-a-video-game-2012-9



Breeden, John. "Do Video Gamers Make the best Drone Pilots?" GCN. April 18 2013. (May 25, 2015) http://gcn.com/blogs/emerging-tech/2013/04/do-video-gamers-make-good-drone-pilots.aspx



The Canadian Press. "Turning Video Gamers into the Ultimate Drone Pilots." CBC News. May 9 2013. (May 25, 2015) http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/turning-video-gamers-into-the-ultimate-drone-pilots-1.1398870



Democracy Now. "Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution, Conflict in the 21st Century" Feb. 6, 2009. (May 25, 2015) http://www.democracynow.org/2009/2/6/wired_for_war_the_robotics_revolution



Fripp, Charlie. "Do Gamers Make for Perfect Drone Pilots?" IT News Africa. Oct. 10, 2013. (May 25, 2015) http://www.itnewsafrica.com/2013/10/do-gamers-make-for-perfect-drone-pilots/



Hurwitz, Elijah Solomon. "Drone Pilots: 'Overpaid, Bored, and Underworked.'" Mother Jones. June 18, 2013. (May 25, 2015) http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/06/drone-pilots-reaper-photo-essay


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