Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
35th EAAP Conference, Athens, Yunanistan, 23 - 26 Eylül 2024, ss.1
Advancements in technology have led to the widespread adoption of automation in aviation, notably with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), while progress in artificial intelligence and machine learning has enabled the creation of advanced automatic pilot systems to assist or substitute human pilots across flight phase. The perceived risk associated with new technology integration, influenced by factors such as benefit, knowledge, control, and fear, alongside technological readiness, and individual perceptions, critically affects the likelihood and pace of its adoption, with awareness and knowledge levels playing a pivotal role in shaping public acceptance. The present study aims to translate and adapt the Remotely Piloted Commercial Passenger Aircraft Attitude Scale (RPCPAAS) into Turkish, thereby contributing to the academic literature by investigating individuals' attitudes towards unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the personal differences that underpin these attitudes. To this end, 938 participants (Mage = 32.89, SDage = 12.41; 54% male) responded to questions about their attitudes towards various uses of unmanned aerial vehicles, The Technology Readiness Index and RPCPAAS. The exploratory factor analysis conducted on the Turkish adaptation of the RPCPAAS corroborated the findings of the original version, with identical items aggregating under the same factors, specifically "Trust in Remotely Piloted Aircraft" and "Trust in On-board Pilot." Furthermore, the scale exhibited high internal consistency, as indicated by Cronbach's alpha coefficients of .81 for the overall scale and .85 and .87 for its subfactors, respectively. Additionally, attitudes towards remotely piloted aircrafts were found to correlate with perceived anxiety associated with flying in unmanned aerial vehicles and technology readiness levels. Ultimately, it was observed that individuals exhibited more favorable attitudes towards remotely piloted aircraft and aircraft operated by single pilots as opposed to fully autonomous aerial vehicles, encompassing both passenger and cargo transport contexts. The replicated factor structure and high internal consistency of the RPCPAAS Turkish adaptation affirm its cross-cultural validity. Moreover, the association between UAV attitudes, perceived anxiety, technology readiness, and a preference for less autonomous aviation systems underscores important factors for UAV integration and acceptance.