Psychophysiological features of airсraft pilots during visual search and detection of small-size ground objects in difficult weather conditions

Background. Visual search and detection of small-size ground objects in difficult weather conditions is a task that provokes psychophysiological stress. The influence of professional pilot activity on the psychophysiological cost of air reconnaissance remains unclear. Materials and methods. The study on the detection and identification of a ground object during landing approach was carried out in winter, during daylight hours: 42 aircraft pilots (average age 30.0 ± 2.8 years, experience from 7 to 14 years) performed 192 research flights. Studies of the subjective assessment of the range to small-size ground objects (SSGO) depending on different visibility conditions and flight altitude were carried out with the participation of 11 aircraft pilots (average age 31.2 ± 1.4 years, experience from 10 to 14 years). The aircraft pilots performed 33 research flights, during which the indicators of neuro-emotional stress were recorded using on-board recording equipment. Results. The search for SSGO in difficult weather conditions (DWC) is accompanied by the increased neuro-emotional stress of the pilot. The pilot's eye estimate of the range to SSGO in conditions of a limited maximum visibility (2.5-4.0 km) for altitudes of 300-400 m is characterized by overestimating the range by an average of 12 %, while good visibility results in underestimating the range. A flight under the clouds with maintaining the distance between the lower edge of the cloud and a flight height of about 50 meters is more favorable for the search for SSGO. With a decrease in this distance to 25 m or less, there is an increase in the physiological cost of such activity (increase in heart rate by 11.6 %; respiration rate by 13.7 %). Conclusion. The psychophysiological features of a pilot that affect the detection and identification of SSGO in DWC mostly depend on the maximum visibility. The coefficients obtained make it possible to adequately estimate the detection and identification range during air reconnaissance in DWC. Pilot’s workload, as well as the level of his/her neuro-emotional stress are determined by the maximum visibility and the distance between the lower edge of the cloud and the specified flight altitude.