FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine 
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute 

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-23/16

Title and Subtitle: Pilot Medical Monitoring: State of the Science Review on Identification of Pilot Incapacitation

Report Date: November 28, 2022

Authors:B. Brokaw; R. Reston; F. Vasquez; P. Stassen; G. Chesterton

Abstract:Organizations have begun to explore the use of human physiological monitoring technologies in critical safety systems to mitigate risk and adapt to evolving operator concepts. This report describes the initial capabilities needed to support safe flight operations in the case of an incapacitated pilot. We describe aspects of a pilot’s physiological state which, in the absence of a second flight deck crewmember, would instead need to be monitored through sensing technology. We review the maturity of the science of sensing technologies for incapacitation detection. Six types of incapacitation were identified to review the state of the science for incapacitation detection technology: sudden cardiac death, sleep, epileptic seizure, stroke, hypoxia, and acute pain syndrome.

Key Words: Aviation medicine, safety and human factors, pilot incapacitation detection

No. of Pages: 53