SkyTouch: Augmenting Situational Awareness for Multi-sUAS Pilots through Multi-Modal Haptics

Small Unmmaned Aircraft Systems' (sUAS; e.g., drones) pilots are often overwhelmed by data-heavy interfaces in critical missions such as Search and Rescue (SAR), resulting in high cognitive load and increased risk of error, especially in multi-sUAS scenarios. We introduce SkyTouch, a wearable haptic system that enhances the human-sUAS interface by translating complex data streams into an intuitive, peripheral language of sensation, establishing a novel "felt" connection between pilot and sUAS. Our system delivers thermal feedback on the neck to help regulate operator's emotional state and wrist-based vibrotactile-light cues to guide visual attention toward critical alerts without cognitive overhead. Through this multi-modal dialogue of feeling, SkyTouch moves beyond basic alerts to support a deeper situational awareness and foster more resilient human-machine collaboration.Figure 1:SkyTouch haptic feedback system is composed of four DataFeel Haptic Dots, El Jefe DataFeel Controller, and a chest-worn heart rate sensor. Two Dots are placed on the neck, providing thermal feedback for stress regulation. The other two Dots are placed on the operator's wrists, delivering vibrotactile and light cues to enhance situational awareness and direct attention to critical alerts based on the data input from the sUAS system. El Jefe is worn around the operator's waist to manage the wearable devices, connecting to the sUAS Ground Control Station.SkyTouch haptic feedback system supports sUAS operators by providing thermal feedback via Dots placed on the back of the neck for stress regulation, and wrist-worn Dots that deliver vibrotactile-light cues to enhance situational awareness and direct attention to critical alerts.