PROFESSIONAL SELECTION SYSTEM AND PSYCHOMETRIC SUPPORT FOR UAV OPERATOR TRAINING: INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Abstract

Background. The contemporary paradigm of warfare is characterized by the dominance of robotic systems, where the efficacy of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) deployment critically depends on the cognitive resources of the human operator. The physical distancing of the remote pilot from the controlled platform transforms the requirements for their professional profile: traditional vestibular stability is superseded by high information processing speed, spatial reasoning, and the capacity for decision-making under severe time constraints. This article aims to conduct a comparative analysis of professional selection models and psychometric instrumentation for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operators within the armed forces of leading nations (the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the State of Israel). The objective is to identify key criteria and relevant cognitive assessment methodologies that can be integrated into the training systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Methods. The study employed the following methods: comparative analysis; content analysis of regulatory acts, strategies, and military doctrines; systemic and interpretative analysis; and elements of case studies.
Results. The study conducted a comprehensive analysis of selection approaches for operators within the armed forces of partner nations, enabling the synthesis of cognitive profiling models. Key metrics were identified namely spatial orientation, attention distribution, and psychomotor coordination, alongside an analysis of specialized instrumentation, including TBAS (Test of Basic Aviation Skills), CBAT (Computer Based Aptitude Testing), and VTS (Vienna Test System). The findings allowed for an assessment of the potential for adapting automated testing systems to differentiate pilots based on their specific specializations.
Conclusions. In the context of large-scale aggression, the formation of a high-quality operator corps is the cornerstone of technological superiority and Ukraine's security integration into the international space. The integration of Western psychometric testing standards will reduce equipment loss rates attributable to the "human factor" and enhance the quality of combat mission execution. The results of this study confirm that the implementation of quantified indicators (specifically Percentile Rank) is an essential condition for verifying the professional suitability of operators within the Personnel Selection System (PSS).