Planning, Execution, to After-Action Review (PETAAR): A Toolset for Human-Robot Teaming

Effective human-robot teaming in highly dynamic environments, such as emergency response and military missions, requires tools that support planning, coordination, and adaptive decision-making without imposing excessive cognitive load. This paper introduces PETAAR, the Planning, Execution, to After-Action Review framework that seamlessly integrates autonomous unmanned vehicles (UxVs) into Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK), a widely adopted situational awareness platform. PETAAR leverages ATAK's geospatial visualization and human team collaboration while adding features for autonomous behavior management, operator feedback, and real-time interaction with UxVs. Its most novel contribution is enabling digital mission plans, created using standard mission graphics, to be interpreted and executed by unmanned systems, bridging the gap between human planning, robotic action, and shared understanding among all teammates (human and autonomous). Results from this work inform best practices for integrating autonomy into human-robot teams across diverse operational contexts.