Examining Vigilance in a Simulated Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Monitoring Task

Tasks which require individuals to sustain attention to seldomly occurring stimuli for long periods of time can induce workload, stress, and often lead to the vigilance decrement [4, 10]. Research into potential methods to mitigate the effects of these tasks have proposed training, video game experience, and the potential of using music. This study examined the impact of listening to music during performance of a simulated UAS monitoring task on the vigilance decrement using twenty-eight participants from a southeastern private Florida university. Music was not found to relieve the vigilance decrement, however, interesting results were found related to gaming experience and workload. Findings were consistent with increased workload and mental demand for participants with gaming experience. These findings are discussed in the context of operator selection.