Policy and Certification Team
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This blog post is the first in a three-part series highlighting key takeaways from Merlin’s recently published whitepaper on human-machine teaming in aviation, “Innovate to Elevate.”
Workload and task management have long been critical challenges in aviation safety. In recent decades, advanced computing and automation solutions have been introduced to assist pilots in high-pressure, high-workload scenarios. While these systems are designed to improve safety, they can sometimes have unintended consequences.
When an automated system behaves unpredictably, it can create stress, disrupt situational awareness, and even lead to in-flight emergencies. A major challenge in aviation safety today is ensuring that automation tools fail gracefully—without imposing undue burden on pilots. At Merlin, we are addressing this challenge by embedding human factors at the core of our aircraft systems design.
Moving Beyond the Leftover Principle
Traditionally, automation design follows the Leftover Principle—where tasks are categorized into those that can be easily automated and those that cannot. This approach has created safety challenges because it leaves the human operator responsible for whatever remains: an often incoherent collection of tasks that lead to increased workload and a loss of situational awareness. Moreover, when automation fails, pilots are expected to take over command of a task or system at a moment’s notice. This situation, known as “system handoff,” is a critical hurdle for system designers across various transportation modalities.
Instead of simply automating what is easy, we believe the goal of advanced aviation systems should be to ensure that the overall division of labor between human and machine is logical, intuitive, and does not introduce new safety risks.
A Human-Centered Approach to Automation
At Merlin, we believe advanced aviation technologies should be designed to augment and complement human capabilities, an approach known as human-machine teaming. This approach ensures that the tasks assigned to human operators are clear, logical, and balanced—neither overburdening pilots nor creating situations that encourage inattentiveness. Effective human-machine teaming requires a deep understanding of when automation is appropriate, how it can support human decision-making, and how to integrate it in a way that enhances operational effectiveness.
Merlin is actively applying this approach in collaboration with the United States military to integrate automation into large transport category aircraft. From the outset, our engineers work alongside flight crews to analyze high-workload conditions, systematically breaking down crew actions to determine which tasks are most critical and how automation can provide meaningful assistance.
Building a Smarter Automation Framework
Merlin’s approach moves beyond traditional automation strategies by treating human factors as a primary design consideration. For each task assistance challenge, we evaluate a range of solutions with varying levels of complexity and criticality. By developing new methods to quantify workload, fatigue, and alertness, we can better model the effects of automation and determine the most effective solutions for different scenarios.
By prioritizing human-machine teaming and designing systems that support pilots, we can create a safer, more resilient aviation environment. At Merlin, we are committed to leading this transformation, ensuring that automation enhances human performance rather than complicating it.
To read the full whitepaper visit: https://merlinlabs.com/innovate-to-elevate/