The Air Force is now training more pilots for its drones than for its fighter jets and bombers

[midnight]

combined.

"The Air Force has also conducted research into the health issues of drone crew members. In a 2011 survey of nearly 840 drone operators, it found that 46 percent of Reaper and Predator pilots, and 48 percent of Global Hawk sensor operators, reported “high operational stress.” Those crews cited long hours and frequent shift changes as major causes.

That study found the stress among drone operators to be much higher than that reported by Air Force members in logistics or support jobs. But it did not compare the stress levels of the drone operators with those of traditional pilots.

The new study looked at the electronic health records of 709 drone pilots and 5,256 manned aircraft pilots between October 2003 and December 2011. Those records included information about clinical diagnoses by medical professionals and not just self-reported symptoms.

After analyzing diagnosis and treatment records, the researchers initially found that the drone pilots had higher incidence rates for 12 conditions, including anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and suicidal ideation."


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/23/us/drone-pilots-found-to-get-stress-disorders-much-as-those-in-combat-do.html?hp&_r=0



I don't know if the adjustments made to find both drone and fighter jet pilots with similar level of mental health issues reassuring.... Especially since they are coming to a neighborhood near our friends and family...

[TwilightGardener]

1. Trying to justify those new drone medals, because those guys are under such

terrible combat stress...in their utter and complete safety in an office, as they go home to their wives and husbands each night and sleep in their own beds. Riiiiiiigggghhht.

[Angry Dragon]

2. If they just hired about 1000 teenagers they would not have as many problems

[Downwinder]

3. Wonder how drones do in air-to-air combat.