This blog post is the second in a three-part series highlighting key takeaways from Merlin’s recently published whitepaper on human-machine teaming in aviation, “Innovate to Elevate.”

Fatigue has long been a challenge to aviation safety, leading to slower reaction times, decreased cognitive function, and increased error rates. Record passenger demand and persistent crew shortages have intensified pilot workload in recent years. 

At Merlin, we believe the aviation industry needs to consider how emerging, more robust automation tools can unlock a better overall approach to fatigue management and create a better flying experience for pilots. 

How the aviation industry manages fatigue has evolved over time. Historically, the industry used regulatory Flight Time Limitations (FTL) Schemes, which set limits on aircrew work hours and mandated minimum rest periods. To enhance the safe application of FTL Schemes, Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) were developed to ensure aircrew are adequately rested by supporting proactive and reactive interventions. 

FRMS allows operators to more effectively manage fatigue using predictive models to assess performance based on sleep and circadian patterns. However, FRMS typically use generalized parameters that don’t consider an individual’s biology or how well rested that individual actually is when reporting for duty. These ‘one-size-fits-all’ approaches to fatigue management leave gaps that new technologies can help fill.

Merlin is conducting studies with passive consumer wearables to better understand fatigue and the ways we can mitigate it. Data from wearables more accurately conveys measures of sleep quality, quantity, and recovery parameters, and in the aviation domain could alleviate the need for many of the assumptions made in current FRMS. Wearables also provide a non-invasive method of measuring physiological parameters during flight operations that could lend further insights into stress, workload, and other factors. 

Early feedback from our partners has been highly encouraging, providing valuable insights into how pilot stress and workload evolve over time. The future of commercial aviation safety lies in forging even stronger partnerships between pilots and technology—creating systems that support and augment human judgment. Achieving this vision will require continued close collaboration with pilots, regulators, and industry leaders to ensure that every new tool enhances human performance, sharpens decision-making, and upholds the highest standards of safety.