Legal Aspects Concerning Use of Drones in the Conditions of the Slovak Republic within the Sphere of Intra-logistics

The use of drones for material transmits or support of activities of intra-logistics belongs among the new and progressive technological methods. Their primary purpose does not lie in the monitoring of employees; for the most part, it is utilized in the sphere of transport, when monitoring objects and private land properties or when supporting of intra-logistics, which is its primary economic purpose. Individual entrepreneurs need to protect their widely delineated private complexes which are always busy and full of employees. That is why they are often interested in eliminating of monitoring complexity of these areas. Newly proposed drone use requires further attention not only from the technical sphere but also from the field of law. Our current legal frame should be amended and updated as such, that it would enable their use

Forum 10: COVID Vaccines: How did you get here?

We consider the supply chains for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and other routine vaccines. We first outline new product development, manufacturing flow management, order fulfillment and vaccine distribution. Next, we focus on the vaccine supply chains in low and middle-income countries. We discuss the cold supply chain and challenges in these countries. Lastly, we discuss current drone delivery capabilities and how drones are being used to delivery the COVID-19 vaccine

Integration of UTM and U-Space on Norwegian continental shelf

In this master thesis, we present an overview of the U-Space and Regulations in Europe, while also taking into consideration the progression of the integration of both parts in Norwegian airspace over the Norwegian continental shelf. This thesis is mainly separated into three parts. The first part is taking a look into the European Union's roadmap/plan for establishing an Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) and how they plan to develop their system into a single European sky. The end goal is that essentially every operator of a drone can do so all over Europe without having any issues with crossing borders or different regulations. The second part of the thesis is dedicated to a detailed insight into the technical side of a UTM, the different layers, examples of which systems are the most relevant to be utilized on the Norwegian continental shelf. The third part of this thesis is dedicated to looking at the regulatory side of things, in regards of the UTM system in itself, different factors of drone operations, requirements for every part of an operation. In addition, discussing and concluding about everything we have been though in the thesis. Additionally, there are uses cases where everything comes together to see how it would work in practise and in certain scenarios. In the final part of the thesis the previous parts of the project will be discussed, as well as drawing final conclusions to the project

The Impact of COVID-19 on Supply Chains and E-commerce Logistics

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply, demand, and logistics have all been affected. Due to its unpredictable severity, the pandemic has highlighted the need to modify the existing supply chain model, the consumer structure model, and the digitization of markets. At the same time, the situation under COVID-19 offers increasing opportunities for e-commerce, including new business models and online commercial activities. This master's thesis aims to analyze how COVID-19 will affect global supply chains and e-commerce. Moreover, it will try to analyze the practices of major e-commerce platforms during the pandemic to determine whether there are opportunities for innovation and development in the future. The study will examine how retailers adapted to supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic from a practical perspective and highlight the critical role of technology in these processes. The research provides insights into how companies are coping with long-term disruptions. The study we conducted used a qualitative approach, which included a case study and a SWOT analysis. In addition, we analyzed quantitative operational data from public financial reports released by JD.com.Our study examines the effects of a pandemic on supply chains. It also summarises the challenges faced by the retail sector and the strategies used by JD.com during the challenging period. During the pandemic, JD.com was able to handle the various aspects of its supply chain management through an integrated supply chain and intelligence platform. This study presents a supply chain resilience analysis by using actual operational data. Moreover, It suggests that companies should consider operational flexibility and collaboration outside the supply chain to adapt to significant supply chain disruptions like COVID-19

Design for Acceptance and Intuitive Interaction: Teaming Autonomous Aerial Systems with Non-experts

In recent years, rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics have enabled transportation systems such as delivery drones to strive for ever-higher levels of autonomy and improve infrastructure in many industries. Consequently, the significance of interaction between autonomous systems and humans with little or no experience is steadily rising. While acceptance of delivery drones remains low among the general public, a solution for intuitive interaction with autonomous drones to retrieve packages is urgently needed so that non-experts can also benefit from the technology. We apply a design science research approach and develop a mobile application as a solution instantiation for both challenges. We conduct one expert and one non-expert design cycle to integrate necessary domain knowledge and ensure acceptance of the artifact by potential non-expert users. The results show that teaming of non-experts with complex autonomous systems requires rethinking common design requirements, such as ensuring transparency of AI-based decisions

AN ANALYSIS OF HOW THE U.S. GOVERNMENT CAN EFFECTIVELY TACKLE SUPPLY CHAIN BARRIERS TO SCALE UP THE LOW COST UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE (UAV) SWARMING TECHNOLOGY (LOCUST) PROGRAM

The LOCUST program is a scalable system of inexpensive swarming unmanned aerial vehicles to provide disruptive capability in contested environments against anti-area access denial defenses, enabling manned strike operations and localized landing site superiority with reduced cost, risk, and operator launch and workload. Our research and analysis will emphasize the challenges of moving from a U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) effort to a large program of record. Specific supply chain concerns that will be addressed include: 1) DOD organizational structure; 2) service-specific objectives and currently operating platforms; 3) requirements generation and related procurements to include production and quality challenges; 4) safety and quality assurance standards; 5) lead times, inventory plans, and throughput to include supplier base considerations and consolidations; and 6) latest evolving technologies and continuous improvement principles. Our team will utilize the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC) evaluative methodology that focuses on data-driven improvement cycles to better optimize process, design and results. Our results and recommendations highlighted multiple strategies that the Office of Naval Research (ONR) must focus on when developing the LOCUST supply chain. These conclusions and findings address both current supply chain development opportunities for the LOCUST program, as well as where the program must focus its efforts in the future.http://archive.org/details/ananalysisofhowt1094563516Civilian, Department of the NavyCivilian, Department of the ArmyCivilian, Department of the ArmyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Disruptive and Conventional Technologies for the Support of Logistics Processes: A Literature Review

The supply chain has become a key element of increasing the productivity and competitiveness of companies. To achieve this, it is essential to implement a strategy based on the use of technologies, which depends on knowledge of the scope and impact of logistics technologies. Therefore, this article aims to identify the main technologies supporting logistics management and supply chain processes to establish their functionality, scope, and impacts. For this, conventional technologies and technologies framed by the concept of Industry 4.0 that allow the implementation of Logistics 4.0 in companies are analyzed. As a result of searching databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct, we provide an analysis of 18 technologies focusing on their definition, scope, and the logistics processes involved. This study concludes that technologies in logistics management allow for a reduction in total costs, improve collaboration with suppliers and customers, increase the visibility and traceability of products and information, and support decision-making for all agents in the supply chain, including the final consumer