AFRL Psychologist Honored for Work Revolutionizing Remote Pilots' Performance Published May 23, 2013 By Mollie Curry 711th Human Performance Wing WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Dr. Mark H. Draper, a senior engineering research psychologist at the Air Force Research Laboratory, is the recipient of the 2012 Harold Brown Award for research and development, which he received from Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley on Dec. 17, 2012. The Harold Brown Award recognizes significant achievement in research and development that led to or demonstrated promise of a substantial improvement in operational effectiveness for the Air Force. Harold Brown was a physicist who served as secretary of the Air Force from 1965 to 1969, and secretary of defense from 1977 to 1981. "I think receiving the Harold Brown Award is the culmination of a group of really passionate researchers and engineers who are designing really clever ways to connect the human with unmanned air vehicles," Dr. Draper said, "so we can have fewer operators required to control more assets." Dr. Draper, of AFRL's 711th Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, was honored for work that revolutionized how pilots interact with remotely piloted aircraft. Dr. Draper's research influenced Department of Defense plans for remotely piloted systems with innovations that improve operator awareness, while at the same time expanding systems for combat and peacekeeping missions.