Development of improvements in UAS for difficult access environments

The objective of this document is to study and verify the development and improvements in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for difficult access environments since this matter is a critical area of research and innovation. As the use of UAS in various applications continues to expand, the need for these systems to operate in challenging environments such as mountainous terrain, dense forests, or urban areas with high-rise structures is increasing. The main motivation to start developing this project was the challenge exposed in the Xprize Rainforest Competition. The $10M XPRIZE Rainforest is a five-year competition to enhance the understanding of the rainforest ecosystem. I am part of the semifinalist team, Providence Plus, a multidisciplinary team composed by scientists from UPC, CSIC, MIT, and TUDelf. The purpose of this challenge is to obtain the maximum amount of information on biodiversity in the rainforest, using drone technology in this type of environment, with all the difficulties inherent in this environment that must be overcome and that are also the subject of analysis in this work, to propose and compare the different solutions and technologies to achieve the objectives of said challenge. As resources for competing in Xprize Challenge are limited and the final solution shall be scalable, the technologies evaluated must be cost efficient and practical. The first difficulty in this kind of environments is the signal strength and signal quality, not only for the drone commands but for the video and telemetry data. In this work, different solutions will be compared since analogic to digital technology. The second difficulty is autonomy, in terms of energetic supply. Taking into account the Rainforest environment and environmental policies, the most suitable technology available is batteries. There are several types of batteries that are suitable for drones, depending on the size, weight, and specifications of the drone. There will be a comparison between the most popular ones. Apart from that, an analysis of different propulsion configurations (ideal motors and propellers) will be carried out in order to achieve an optimal flight time without compromising the structural integrity of the drone. The third difficulty is reducing noise levels, in order to avoid disturbing the wildlife and with the goal in mind of having the best images possible, a study of different propellers will be carried out. Finally, durability and weather resistance: Rainforests are characterized by high humidity, heavy rainfall, and extreme heat. Drones used in this environment must be built to withstand these conditions and be weather-resistant. This may involve using materials that can withstand moisture, designing waterproof housing for sensitive components, and installing heat dissipation systems to prevent overheating.Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::15 - Vida d'Ecosistemes TerrestresObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::13 - Acció per al Clim

Blockchain for sustainability: a systematic literature review for policy impact

Blockchain technology has been proposed to achieve sustainable development through various solutions, such as carbon credit trading, energy systems and supply chain management. While existing literature has not covered this topic in a structured fashion, this paper provides insights to policymakers on how blockchain can deliver sustainable development. This study conducted a systematic literature review on the role of blockchain technologies in assisting policymakers in achieving ESG and environmental sustainability goals. The paper performs a detailed PRISMA SLR analysis of 10,188 technical and policy papers sourced from Scopus and IEEE databases to ensure high-quality inputs and breadth of coverage across relevant sources. In addition, the study reviews the relevant regulatory environment related to ESG, including SDGs, IPCC, COP 27, ESMA, ISSB, SEC, GRI, TCFD, ESRS, IFRS S1 and S2 and CRSD. Most papers do not outline a structured approach to applying blockchain in the emerging regulatory environment. Our paper outlines recommendations to policymakers wishing to ensure that the blockchain research community and solutions proposed are usefully directed to enable the world to achieve its net zero goals

Disseny i avaluació d’un canal de comunicacions en un bosc tropical

Xprize Rainforest is a competition looking to enhance our understanding of the rainforest ecosystem. On behalf of the communications team, we seek to establish a reliable communication between a sensor placed in the forest and a base camp. To accomplish this, we evaluate two technologies: LoRa and IEEE 802.11ah. There is a theoretical evaluation of both technologies, followed by a set of tests regarding throughput and range. Due to the low throughput and other problems related to LoRa, 802.11ah is chosen as the most appropriate technology to establish the communication. We then follow with the creation of a relay prototype which is placed on a drone so that we can accomplish a more direct view with the drone and avoid losing coverage due to the forest. The relay tests are inconclusive because of interferences between channels.Xprize Rainforest es una competición que pretende mejorar nuestro conocimiento sobre el ecosistema del bosque tropical. Como equipo de comunicaciones se pretende establecer una comunicación fiable entre un sensor situado en el bosque y un campo base. Para ello, se evalúan dos tecnologías: LoRa y IEEE 802.11ah. Se hace una valoración teórica de ambos seguida de una serie de pruebas tanto de throughput como de rango. Debido al throughput bajo y otros problemas de LoRa, se llega a la conclusión de que el estándar 802.11ah es el más adecuado para establecer la comunicación. Así, se propone la creación de un prototipo de repetidor que se coloca sobre un drone de forma que se pueda tener una visión más directa con el sensor y evitar que se pierda cobertura debido a la gran masa de árboles. Las pruebas del prototipo no son concluyentes debido a interferencias entre canales.Xprize Rainforest és una competició que pretén millorar el nostre coneixement sobre l'ecosistema del bosc tropical. Com a equip de comunicacions es pretén establir una comunicació fiable entre un sensor situat al bosc i un camp base. Per a fer-ho, s'avaluen dues tecnologies: LoRa i IEEE 802.11ah. Es fa una valoració teòrica d'ambdós seguida d'una sèrie de proves tant de throughput com de rang. Degut al baix throughput i a altres problemes de LoRa, s'arriba a la conclusió de que l'estàndard 802.11ah és el més adient per a establir la comunicacié. Així, es proposa la creació d'un prototip de repetidor que es col·loca sobre un drone de manera que es pugui crear una visió més directa amb el sensor i així evitar que es perdi cobertura degut a la gran massa d'arbres. Les proves del prototip no són concloents degut a interferències entre canals

Informe anual de gestió de la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya 2021

Acord CU/2022/01/02, de 26 de gener de 2022, del Claustre Universitari, pel qual s’aprova l’Informe anual de gestió de la Universitat 202