What MUM-T Means for Pilots
So far this article has examined the mission and design implications of MUM-T. But what does teaming manned helicopters with drones mean for pilots? Will drones put some of them out of a job?
Logically, the answer is no. This is because MUM-T scenarios envisioned by OEMs all see pilots as being at the center of these operations; with drones enhancing their overall mission capabilities.
“Tools such as drone autonomy, artificial intelligence, and drone-based target intelligence are all designed to empower the human pilot to make better decisions with less stress,” said Leonardo’s Duthie. “The whole point of MUM-T is not to lessen the importance of humans in the cockpit, but to make them even more useful and effective.”
In other words, the robots are not coming for your job. Instead the robots – in the form of drones – will allow you to do much more in the cockpit with enhanced ease and reduced stress.
Think of MUM-T as being the ultimate in mission automation. It will handle the base
level and investigatory task, leaving the humans to make the big decisions.
Admittedly, this is all blue-sky thinking. MUM-T is sufficiently in its infancy that human pilots will be managing the lion’s share of rotorcraft duties for the foreseeable future.
Still, MUM-T points to a fundamental change that is coming in helicopter and fixed-wing flight; one that will free humans from the most dangerous, dirty, and drudgery-filled mission duties, while vastly enhancing their ability to be effective aloft. This is why pilots of all ages need to keep a close eye on the progress of MUM-T and consider how their career goals could mesh with new technology.
After all, most people had never heard of the World Wide Web until it went public in 1991. Yet, today the web is the nervous system of our world. One day, MUM-T could be just as central to the missions being flown exclusively by manned helicopters today.
Erickson’s goal of integrating Sikorsky’s MATRIX technology would enable aircraft to fight fire at night on their own, or in tandem with manned helicopters.
Photo by Rotorcraft Pro
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