Congestion-aware Multi-modal Delivery Systems Utilizing Drones

Multi-modal delivery systems are a promising solution to the challenges posed by the increasing demand of e-commerce. Due to the potential benefit drones can have on logistics networks such as delivery systems, some countries have taken steps towards integrating drones into their airspace. In this paper we aim to quantify this potential by developing a mathematical model for a multi-modal delivery system composed of trucks and drones. We propose an optimization formulation that can be efficiently solved in order to design socially-optimal routing and allocation policies. We incorporate both societal cost in terms of road congestion and parcel delivery latency in our formulation. Our model is able to quantify the effect drones have on mitigating road congestion, and can solve for the path routing needed to minimize the chosen objective. To accurately capture the effect of stopping trucks on road latency, we use SUMO simulations and derive a mathematical latency function for roads shared by trucks and cars. Based on this, we show that the proposed framework is computationally feasible to scale due to its reliance on convex quadratic optimization techniques

Accessibility Design and Operational Considerations in the Development of Urban Aerial Mobility Vehicles and Networks

Urban aerial mobility vehicles and networks have recently gained considerable interest in the aviation community. These small, short-range vehicles with all-electric or hybrid-electric propulsion systems, tailored to metropolitan aerial transportation needs, promise to radically change passenger mobility and cargo distribution in cities. Accessibility issues have not been a major consideration in UAM vehicle and network discussions to date. This paper seeks to help change that

Envisioning the Future Role of 3D Wireless Networks in Preventing and Managing Disasters and Emergency Situations

In an era marked by unprecedented climatic upheavals and evolving urban landscapes, the role of advanced communication networks in disaster prevention and management is becoming increasingly critical. This paper explores the transformative potential of 3D wireless networks, an innovative amalgamation of terrestrial, aerial, and satellite technologies, in enhancing disaster response mechanisms. We delve into a myriad of use cases, ranging from large facility evacuations to wildfire management, underscoring the versatility of these networks in ensuring timely communication, real-time situational awareness, and efficient resource allocation during crises. We also present an overview of cutting-edge prototypes, highlighting the practical feasibility and operational efficacy of 3D wireless networks in real-world scenarios. Simultaneously, we acknowledge the challenges posed by aspects such as cybersecurity, cross-border coordination, and physical layer technological hurdles, and propose future directions for research and development in this domain

An Exploration of Issues Facing Vertiport Integration in the Wasatch Front

Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) are expected to fill our skies to provide services such as package delivery, supporting emergency services, and even as a new mode of transit. While the private sector has been developing UAS for many years, the planning realm has not considered this new technology’s potential impacts on our communities in any depth. A primary aspect of UAS integration is the development of vertiports, which facilitate ground-based interaction with UAS. These centers, unlike traditional aerial infrastructure, must be dispersed throughout communities to support UAS integration. This thesis aims to involve planning professions in UAS integration by identifying how the integration of vertiports may impact our communities, and how our communities may impact them. This is accomplished through two primary objectives: a perception study towards UAS and vertiports, followed by a suitability analysis for potential vertiport sites based on neighboring community elements. When combined, these analyses provide clear insight into the best potential developable areas and give planners a tool to begin UAS integration decisions within their communities

On the Integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles into Public Airspace

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles will soon be integrated in the airspace and start serving us in various capacities such as package delivery, surveillance, search and rescue missions, inspection of infrastructure, precision agriculture, and cinematography. In this thesis, motivated by the challenges this new era brings about, we design a layered architecture called Internet of Drones (IoD). In this architecture, we propose a structure for the traffic in the airspace as well as the interaction between the components of our system such as unmanned aerial vehicles and service providers. We envision the minimal features that need to be implemented in various layers of the architecture, both on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)'s side and on the service providers' side. We compare and contrast various approaches in three existing networks, namely the Internet, the cellular network, and the air traffic control network and discuss how they relate to IoD. As a tool to aid in enabling integration of drones in the airspace, we create a traffic flow model. This model will assign velocities to drones according to the traffic conditions in a stable way as well as help to study the formation of congestion in the airspace. We take the novel problem posed by the 3D nature of UAV flights as opposed to the 2D nature of road vehicles movements and create a fitting traffic flow model. In this model, instead of structuring our model in terms of roads and lanes as is customary for ground vehicles, we structure it in terms of channels, density and capacities. The congestion is formulated as the perceived density given the capacity and the velocity of vehicles will be set accordingly. This view removes the need for a lane changing model and its complexity which we believe should be abstracted away even for the ground vehicles as it is not fundamentally related to the longitudinal movements of vehicles. Our model uses a scalar capacity parameter and can exhibit both passing and blocking behaviors. Furthermore, our model can be solved analytically in the blocking regime and piece-wise analytically solved when in the passing regime. Finally, it is not possible to integrate UAVs into the airspace without some mechanism for coordination or in other words scheduling. We define a new scheduling problem in this regard that we call Vehicle Scheduling Problem (VSP). We prove NP-hardness for all the commonly used objective functions in the context of Job Shop Scheduling Problem (JSP). Then for the number of missed deadlines as our objective function, we give a Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) formulation of VSP. We design a heuristic algorithm and compare the quality of the schedules created for small instances with the exact solution to the MIP instance. For larger instances, these comparisons are made with a baseline algorithm

Drone-based delivery of clinical specimens in a rural enviroment : a feasibility study

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering by Research in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment School of Electrical and Information Engineering , Private Bag 3, 2050, Johannesburg, South AfricaA framework is developed for the implementation of an autonomous drone-based delivery system. The concept stems from the need for more efficient methods of clinical transport in underdeveloped regions. A case study of a region in Mpumalanga investigates the requirements of the delivery system and scale of the intended solution. The travelling salesman problem (TSP) is used to determine that a region with 19 request points can be serviced by a single drone with a 30 minute flight range and 2 - 4 kg payload capacity. A notional region containing 20 clinics and one laboratory is used to simulate scenarios with dynamic request points using a reward-based inspection algorithm. Delivery routes are optimised based on global conditions. An evaluation of the inspection algorithm resulted in the drones averaging 103.53 km in 139.21 minutes. A framework is thus developed which allows for a theoretical scenario analysis for future implementations. The specimen turnaround time from clinic to laboratory is assessed using 120 scenarios of varying wind speed and request generation rates. In wind conditions similar to that observed in Mpumalanga (5 - 25 km/h), the drone averaged 93.94 minutes per request. At a request rate of two requests per hour the drone delivered an average of 180 samples generated in the first nine hours of simulation. At a request rate of one request every 6 hours the drone averaged 29 samples. Future work could include an in depth study of seasonal request rates and weather pattern data in order to influence the path of the drone for a further optimised approach as well as the development of more advanced optimisation algorithms.GR201

An Overview of Drone Energy Consumption Factors and Models

At present, there is a growing demand for drones with diverse capabilities that can be used in both civilian and military applications, and this topic is receiving increasing attention. When it comes to drone operations, the amount of energy they consume is a determining factor in their ability to achieve their full potential. According to this, it appears that it is necessary to identify the factors affecting the energy consumption of the unmanned air vehicle (UAV) during the mission process, as well as examine the general factors that influence the consumption of energy. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the current state of research in the area of UAV energy consumption and provide general categorizations of factors affecting UAV's energy consumption as well as an investigation of different energy models

Drones for parcel and passenger transportation: A literature review

Delivery drones and ‘air taxis’ are currently among the most intensely discussed emerging technologies, likely to expand mobility into the ‘third dimension’ of low-level airspace. This paper presents a systematic literature review of 111 interdisciplinary publications (2013 - 03/2019). The review systematizes the current socio-technical debate on civil drones for transportation purposes allowing for a (critical) interim assessment. To guide the review process four dimensions of analysis were defined. A total of 2581 relevant quotations were subdivided into anticipated barriers (426), potential problems (1037), proposed solutions (737) and expected benefits (381). We found that the debate is characterized by predominantly technical and regulatory problems and barriers which are considered to prevent or impede the use of drones for parcel and passengers transportation. At the same time, definite economic expectations are juxtaposed with quite complex and differentiated concerns regarding societal and environmental impacts. Scrutinizing the most prevalent transportation-related promises of traffic reduction, travel time saving and environmental relief we found that there is a strong need to provide scientific evidence for the promises linked to the use of drones for transportation. We conclude that the debate on drones for transportation needs further qualification, emphasizing societal benefits and public involvement more strongly.TU Berlin, Open-Access-Mittel - 201