Simulating UAV Flight in Augmented Reality

Sammanfattning: This thesis describes the design and development of a UAV simulator application prototype, which uses augmented reality technology and runs on a tablet device. The purpose of the application is to act as a complementary educational tool for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pilots in training. The field of commercial unmanned aviation is rapidly growing, and with it the need for structured and standardised education. Flying UAVs is costly both in terms of time and resources, and a simulated experience could act as an efficient complement. The application is designed with the principles of user-centered design at the core of the process, including evaluating the application from a usability perspective through user testing. This thesis also aims to investigate the Augmented Reality (AR) medium in the UAV training context. The final prototype received positive feedback in the evaluation. It was found that the AR medium comes with both strengths and weaknesses, mainly concerned with realism and the likeness to flying a real UAV. In conclusion, the prototype shows great potential as a complementary educational tool for UAV training.