Exploring the relationship between operator experience, propensity to trust automation and perceived system trustworthiness of uncrewed Air Vehicles

This study investigated whether prior crewed aviation experience and wider demographics influenced Uncrewed Air Vehicle (UAV) operators' propensity to trust and perceived trustworthiness of UAVs. Appropriate trust in automation is essential for managing workload and avoiding user intervention errors that could otherwise have been prevented in UAV operation. Thirty eight UAV operators completed an online survey containing demographic questions, the Propensity-To-Trust Automation (PTT-A) scale, and the System Trustworthiness Scale (STS). No difference was found in PTT-A scores between operators with limited (<100 hours) and substantial (≥100 hours) crewed flight experience. However, those with substantial crewed experience rated UAV systems significantly lower on the STS. Regression analysis showed perceived trustworthiness was significantly predicted by PTT-A facets of <i>competence, benevolence</i>, and <i>integrity</i>. These findings suggest that UAV system design, and processes should be tailored to accommodate operator experiential differences to support trust calibration and system safety.