06:27, 02 March 2026

Virtual Pilot Model Aims to Transform Aircraft and Spacecraft Design in Russia

Engineers have developed a mathematical model that simulates how a human pilot behaves at the controls during the digital design phase.

Engineers at the Moscow Aviation Institute have created a system that replicates a pilot’s actions when flying airplanes, helicopters, and spacecraft. The model analyzes visual inputs, vestibular signals, and neuromuscular responses, allowing designers to predict how comfortable and safe a new vehicle will be for a human operator.

Built to Mirror Human Perception

The model consists of three core modules. The first handles perception, accounting for visual delays, interference, and inner-ear signals associated with acceleration and roll.

“In the first module, most data comes through visual analyzers. The program factors in blind zones, delays, and noise in visual perception. It also processes signals from inner-ear sensors proportional to angular and linear accelerations acting on the pilot, as well as impulses from so-called muscle spindles that provide information about hand movements,” said project lead Alexander Efremov.

The second module reproduces the functioning of the central nervous system and generates decision-making algorithms. The third simulates hand movements and interaction with flight controls.

Virtual Testing Before the First Flight

The development enables engineers to identify weaknesses in control systems before a physical prototype is built.

“Right now, engineers can evaluate the effectiveness of proposed design solutions only in practice—on flight simulators or during real flights. Often, the correctness of a decision becomes clear only after test pilots take the aircraft into the air and share their impressions. At that stage, making changes is both difficult and expensive,” said doctoral researcher Alena Grishina.

The model can calculate pilot responses under various loads and flight modes, significantly reducing testing costs.

The system is already being used in the development of new aircraft and helicopters, as well as a next-generation supersonic passenger jet. Developers also plan to apply it to assess spacecraft docking procedures and the feasibility of soft landings on the Moon.

“In the design of complex onboard systems, mathematical modeling plays a leading role. At the same time, maintaining the right balance between software-driven approaches and the human factor is essential for successful testing of aviation and space technology,” said Sergey Bazhenov, head of department at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute.

In the future, the model is expected to evolve into a universal platform for testing, training, and automation. Final decisions, however, will continue to rest with human pilots, particularly in нестандартных and high-stress situations.

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