truck drone hybrid

The truck-drone hybrid delivery system uses a truck as a station for drones in addition to its delivery function and is getting attention because the strengths of these individual vehicles can be selectively and synergistically exploited. In this study, we extended the previous vehicle routing models to the hybrid delivery systems by taking into account two important practical issues: the effect of parcel weight on drone energy consumption and restricted flying areas. The flight range of the drones is heavily susceptible to the loaded weight due to the limited battery life. Drones are also not allowed to fly over sensitive facilities regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or temporarily in certain areas due to weather-related conditions. We developed a mathematical model that incorporates these issues and propose a two-phase constructive and search heuristic algorithm to provide computational efficiency of the real-world cases problems. The result of the numerical study demonstrates the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. 

Yes, but I suggest drone deliveries are common now! [It is really a question of how long is a piece of sting..?] The first permanent drone delivery has been announced this week. It is in Switzerland.

Several jurisdictions are allowing trials of drone deliveries, eg Amazon in England, Zipline in Rwanda, and DHL in Germany (two places).

Initially, the common places will be among and to islands, eg North Sea (DHL are trialling) and relatively remote locations inland.

However, the Swiss scheme is in a relatively congested area. Common usage will be given an enormous boost when the the EU’s U-Space regulatory framework for unmanned air traffic control (UATC) is in place - probably from 2020. - so enabling cross-border drone commercial flights throughout the EU’s 27 member states and any other state willing to comply with the relevant EU laws.

Singapore and Africa are likely to be other hotbed locations for drone deliveries once the UATC systems are in place.

Tourist Drones

China and Dubai might be mentioned as having drone “deliveries” whereby an EHang S184 UAVS (China) offers tourists to be taken to places. The same drone is or will be available in Dubai for tourist passengers.

Other aspects of to-become-common drone deliveries are:

Medical etc drone deliveries

1. ambulance drones, eg Israel’s Cormorant unmanned ambulance

2. delivery of defibrillators, eg in the Netherlands and New Zealand

3. delivery of littoral lifesaving buoys or life jackets at sea from the beach or lifeboats

4. delivery of medical supplies, blood, body parts has been undertaken in Rwanda (Zipline) and in Switzerland (see above)

5. another water rescue drone is one carrying a rail or harness which the water victim clings to and is taken to the rescuers (or awaits the rescuers at sea).

Military Drone deliveries

1. battlefield drone deliveries by a aerial drone truck

2. US Navy tanker drones for airborne refuelling missions to support a carrier’s fighters, eg USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier.

International Aid drone deliveries

Drones are flown to otherwise unreachable victims of a natural or manmade disaster. Once they have arrived:

1. they are dismantled in part to provide items of shelter and furniture as temporary accommodation, etc, or

2. they are dismantled and some parts may be consumed by the victims as food.

Edit 23/11/19 Any early dreams of flying from home to work, tourist destinations etc must await an urban air traffic control system which marries manned and unmanned aviations. Guessing … I forecast 2025 to 2035 as the period for the first operational system. By then the countries with systems about to start will have designed and developed:

• the ATC system

• appropriate insurance covers

• droneports for refueling, passenger handling, technical mechanical and software repairs and maintenance

• buildings (built or adapted) and locations for drop-off and pick-up of passengers

• drone investigation branches to elicit information about serious incidents

• pilot and operations personnel for flying remotely.

299 viewsView 2 upvotes · Answer requested by Johnathan MiltenBerger

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3 comments from Geoff Parsons and more

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Christopher Korody, Principal at DroneBusiness.center (2015-present)

Answered November 23, 2019

I think it will be becoming more common - but you have to get out of the drone dropping a box of pizza on my patio notion of delivery. That (pizza, sushi, burritos, Advil) grabs a lot of headlines but is also the hardest thing to do - a lot of issues with privacy, public acceptance, dense airspaces and who will pay.

Instead, I believe that most delivery applications will be commercial, often B2B. Geoff Parsons response below is very thoughtful and credible.

I also think that the rate of adoption/deployment will vary by country - don’t expect the US to be the leader - in fact we are already behin… (more)

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