We've been doing a lot of exploration work lately with two PCs that have levels of Outdoorsman. We've used it to remove setback dice from darkness, fog, slimy terrain, cramped quarters, snow-slicked rocks, and so on. Two questions came up recently, and we made a call and just kept playing, but now that I have the luxury of time, I'm curious what you all would rule in these cases.

1. Does Outdoorsman remove Navigation Hazard (EotE:240) setback dice from Pilot checks? We weren't sure how to handle it, since it is the vehicle that is directly interacting with the environment, not the PCs themselves. (We decided not to apply Outdoorsman to Pilot checks.)

2. Does Outdoorsman remove defense dice derived from Cover (EotE:213)? Cover (and Gravity, for that matter) are sources of setback dice included in the Environmental Effects section of EotE, starting on page 212. It seems that Outdoorsman would definitely apply to the setback die applied to Perception checks for Cover, but we were not sure about the ranged defense aspect of it. (We decided yes, Outdoorsman would cancel out the enemy's cover benefit.)

Relevant quote from EotE:141:

Quote

The character removes one setback die per rank of Outdoorsman from checks to move through terrain or manage terrain or environmental effects.

So, what are your thoughts?

Yes to the first because it's the character who is driving the vehicle and the one doing the driving is the one interacting with the environment. So, outdoorsman apply in this case, except if the vehicle is fully automatised of course.

No to the second. A perception check is not "managing terrain or environmental effects".

I personally would say no to both. I would say yes to number one for ground based vehicles but not space flight. Outdoorsman does not negate cover or effect combat checks or perception at all. It is for movement, survival checks, etc