A head-up display for mid-air drone recovery

During mid-air retrieval of parachute packages, the absence of a natural horizon creates serious difficulties for the pilot of the recovery helicopter. A head-up display (HUD) was tested in an attempt to solve this problem. Both a roll-stabilized HUD and a no-roll (pitch only) HUD were tested. The results show that fewer missed passes occurred with the roll-stabilized HUD when the horizon was obscured. The pilots also reported that the workload was greatly reduced. Roll-stabilization was required to prevent vertigo when flying in the absence of a natural horizon. Any HUD intended for mid-air retrieval should display pitch, roll, sideslip, airspeed, and vertical velocity.