Needs Assessment

Drone Package Delivery

Needs:

There is no current cost-effective solution to develop and create self-autonomous robots that are equipped with object detection software/hardware, which could be used to deliver packages.

Objective:

Design a robot that implements object detection A.I. to deliver packages. The goal of this project is to learn how to design a package-handling drone implemented with different algorithms that will flock the drones together while also separating them when they get near their destinations in order to drop off their assigned package. 

Background:

Jacob, Ryan, Cesar, Justin, and David have all gained experience in C++ through courses they have taken at Stevens Institute of Technology. David and Cesar also have experience in programming in Python. Furthermore, David and Jacob have some experience in the hardware end of robotics while Ryan and Justin are more experienced with the software end. Additionally, Cesar has experience with flocking algorithms as he did research over the summer his freshman year focused on developing these algorithms.

Methodology:

In order to program our drone using flocking algorithms, work will need to be evenly divided between the members of our group. Reasonably achievable goals will be set each week in order to create structure while we navigate the completion of this project. We will continuously modify the software of the drone so that it follows our algorithms while also adding and testing a claw to the design for our drone to be able to handle packages.

Expected Results:

At the end of the semester, we expect to have a drone that implements flocking algorithms to deliver packages to the addresses that it is given. We hope that the drone is able to analyze the best path to the given address from its starting point and be able to calculate the best altitude to operate at based on the environment. An arm-like or claw apparatus would be used to grab onto and securely hold the packages. 

Costs:

Claw: $8.69

Drone: $20.99

Hardware including Raspberry Pi, sensors, camera, solder: ~$100

Depending on how many drones we want to implement into this delivery service, the price will vary but assuming we only use one for now, the total price will come out to $129.68. We expect to re-estimate this cost once we have a complete product list and we assume this will be completed by the beginning of March.