Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are warning that pilots' ability to think may be harmed by the radiofrequency and electromagnetic fields emitted from the electronics in their aircraft. The problem could be so severe that the pilots could end up crashing their planes, reported Forbes.

"Current cockpits are flooded with radio frequency (RF) noise from on-board emissions, communication links, and navigation electronics, including strong electromagnetic (EM) fields from audio headsets and helmet tracking technologies," stated a new DARPA research project.

It is reported that pilots often describe minor cognitive performance challenges during flight. According to the research, "spatial disorientation in U.S. Air Force pilots accounted for 72 Class A mishaps, 101 deaths, and 65 aircraft lost", between the dates of 1993 and 2013.