Delivery drone

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A Zipline drone designed for delivering medical supplies and blood. Zipline-package-drop.jpg
A Zipline drone designed for delivering medical supplies and blood.
The RQ-7 Shadow is capable of delivering a 20 lb (9.1 kg) "Quick-MEDS" canister to front-line troops. Shadow 200 UAV.jpg
The RQ-7 Shadow is capable of delivering a 20 lb (9.1 kg) "Quick-MEDS" canister to front-line troops.
A Wingcopter drone delivering COVID-19 test kits in Scotland. Wingcopter Drone in Scotland.png
A Wingcopter drone delivering COVID-19 test kits in Scotland.

A delivery drone is a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to transport items such as packages, medicines, foods, postal mails, and other light goods. [2] Large corporations like Amazon, DHL and FedEx have started to use drone delivery services. [2] Drones were used effectively in the fight against COVID-19, delivering millions of vaccines and medical supplies across the globe. [3] Drone deliveries are highly efficient, significantly speeding up delivery times and avoiding challenges traditional delivery vehicles may encounter. Given their life-saving potential use cases for medical supplies in particular have become the most widely-tested type of drone delivery, with trials and pilot projects in dozens of countries such as Australia, [4] Canada, [5] Botswana, [6] Ghana, Uganda, [7] the UK, [8] the US [9] among others (see below).

Contents

Delivery drones can be autonomous, semi-autonomous, or remote-controlled. [10] The most common types of drones are terrestrial and aerial, however, they can also be aquatic. [10]

Applications

Healthcare delivery

In December 2013, the DHL parcel service subsidiary of Deutsche Post AG tested a "microdrones md4-1000" for delivery of medicine. Package copter microdrones dhl.jpg
In December 2013, the DHL parcel service subsidiary of Deutsche Post AG tested a "microdrones md4-1000" for delivery of medicine.

Drones have served a role in transporting critical healthcare supplies such as blood, vaccines, pharmaceutical drugs, first aid equipment, and medical samples. [11] Medical deliveries have the ability to navigate remote or otherwise inaccessible areas with more rapid response time in emergencies, compared to ambulances. [12] Medical drone delivery is credited with saving lives during emergency deliveries of blood in Rwanda and post-hurricane relief in Puerto Rico. [13] Emergency drone deliveries also played a significant role in the responding to earthquakes in Haiti and Taiwan and various natural disasters in Nepal. [12] Time is crucial in emergency situations, especially when victims require prompt medical treatment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, drones made medical deliveries of personal protective equipment and COVID-19 tests in the United States [14] , Israel, [15] and Ghana. [16] [17] In partnership with the Ghana Ministry of Health, Zipline drones delivered thousands of COVID-19 vaccine vials in Ghana during 2020 and 2021. [18] [19] University of British Columbia (UBC) has. selected Drone Delivery Canada Corp for UBC's “Remote Communities Drone Transport Initiative” program. This solution will be used to transport a variety of cargo for the benefit of the Stellat’en First Nation, located in the Fraser Lake area of Central Northern British Columbia.

Irish drone-delivery startup Manna was ready to start deliveries as the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020. The company quickly restructured to start making essential deliveries of prescription medication and food to isolated residents in the village of Moneygall. Ireland's national health service, the HSE, designated Manna an essential service and it took the company a week to pivot from the original plan of food delivery to delivering essential medical goods. [20] Meanwhile UK-based autonomous drone operator Windracers completed its first successful unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight in December 2020, taking medical supplies from Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly. [21]

In 2021, Skyports drones had begun a 3 month project, which later evolved into a trial, successfully carrying Covid-19 samples and test kits from Mull, Clachan-Seil and Lochgilphead to Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban, marking a significant milestone in the UK, being known as first in their kind. [22]

In August 2022, St Mary's Hospital on the Isle of Wight was selected to participate in a pilot scheme for receiving medicine delivered by delivery drones, with the shipments being flown in from the Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust's pharmacy on the mainland. [23]

Food delivery

Drones have been proposed as a solution for rapidly delivering prepared foods, such as pizzas, tacos, and frozen beverages. Drone delivery is a new way of delivering products to consumers. Rather than focusing on traditional delivery methods — people delivering via car, bicycle, or truck — this form of delivery gives the responsibility to a drone. Drone-based food delivery has the potential to transform the food industry by combining technology and taste. Drones move quickly and precisely through urban sprawl, bringing hot meals right to people's doorsteps. They can move through the sky, assuring punctual deliveries with the least amount of human intervention, considered by some a symphony of efficiency. By adopting this innovation, restaurants may increase customer satisfaction and reach a wider audience. Drone delivery promotes sustainability by cutting down on delivery times and carbon emissions. .

Foodpanda has piloted food deliveries in Singapore using multirotor drones from ST Engineering [24] and in Pakistan using VTOL drones. [25] Early prototypes of food delivery drones include the Tacocopter demonstration by Star Simpson, which was a taco delivery concept utilizing a smartphone app to order drone-delivered tacos in San Francisco area. [26] The revelation that it did not exist as a delivery system or app led to it being labelled a hoax. [26] [27] [28] A similar concept named the "burrito bomber" was tested in 2012. [29]

Postal delivery

Different postal companies from Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Singapore and the United Kingdom [30] have undertaken various drone trials as they test the feasibility and profitability of unmanned delivery drone services. [31] The USPS has been testing delivery systems with the potential to integrate them into their mailing services. The postal service seeks to gather information from UAS operators and developers to possibly provide them with the necessary equipment and aircraft. [32] [33]

In 2021 Windracers' drones were used to deliver post between Kirkwall and North Ronaldsay in Scotland's Orkney Islands in a two-week trial carried out by Royal Mail to help better connect remote island communities and reduce carbon emissions. [34] The usage of drones could result in decreased delivery times as current methods of delivery by ferry are commonly affected by weather. [35]

The Greek postal service ELTA has made an agreement with drone cargo company Dronamics for the usage of drones regarding postage. [36] The desired goal of this agreement is for same day delivery for all users as well as making postal services more accessible and at a lower price point for Greece. [37]

In the United Kingdom, the Royal Mail has earmarked a plan for a fleet of 500 drones to deliver post and parcels to remote communities. [38]

Retail delivery

Google, Amazon, 7-Eleven and Walmart have conducted trials using drones to deliver merchandise. Google is operating on a test basis in Australia, while Amazon, Walmart, and 7-Eleven have been piloting drone delivery programs in the United States. Such applications are expected to help decrease the environmental impact of the merchandise industry. [39] [40] Research shows that using drones for small package deliveries can significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to traditional delivery trucks. A study by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory highlighted that drone delivery of a small package could result in about 0.42 kg of greenhouse gas emissions per package in California, a 54% reduction compared to truck deliveries which emit about 1 kg of greenhouse gases per package. The improvement varies by region due to the carbon intensity of local electricity grids used to charge the drones. The study states Missouri as an example of a state where the electricity grid is not quite as efficient as California's electricity grid. As for efficiency and resiliency, drone deliveries improve supply chain resiliency. Drones have been used effectively to maintain supply chains and limit physical contact, as seen during COVID-19. Drones are able to deliver medical supplies and other essential goods. In Virginia, for example, drone deliveries were found to potentially reduce annual road use by up to 294 million miles and significantly decrease carbon emissions. [41] [42]

Drone delivery provides a great solution for inventory management in retail. By leveraging drones for frequent, small-scale deliveries, retailers can minimize their reliance on large shipments from distribution centers. [43] [44] This shift allows retailers to maintain optimal inventory levels, effectively reducing storage costs and the risks associated with overstocking or stockouts. Additionally, drones enable swift restocking of inventory at retail outlets, ensuring a consistent availability of products for customers. This agile inventory management approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also enables retailers to respond more effectively to fluctuating customer demands, ultimately leading to increased sales and greater customer satisfaction.

Ship resupply

The shipping line Maersk and the Port of Rotterdam have experimented with using drones to resupply offshore ships instead of sending smaller boats. [20]

In the realm of maritime logistics, the integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), particularly automated vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones, presents a transformative opportunity. These drones offer several advantages, including cost savings, operational efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Cost savings are a significant benefit, as fleets of less expensive VTOL UAS aircraft for maritime resupply can markedly reduce costs for commercial shipping and energy companies. Furthermore, operational efficiency is enhanced, with drones minimizing downtime and ensuring swift deliveries to offshore locations. From an environmental standpoint, VTOL UAS aircraft operate on electricity, producing zero emissions, thereby offering a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to traditional delivery methods. [45]

Skyports Drone Services has partnered with Thome Group and Wilhelmsen Ships Agency so that they can begin using drones as a method of transportation. [46] Skyports Drone Services brings their advancements of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry to decrease delivery times and environmental damages in the Maritime supply chain around Singapore. [46]

Military resupply

The Marine Corps has been looking into using TRUAS drones or Tactical Resupply Unmanned Aircraft Systems for basic military resupply. [47] The drones will be able to provide a much faster resupply in more dangerous areas compared to traditional methods. [47] The TRAUS drones planned for use by the Marine Corps will fly automatically to the programmed destination with the ability to transport 150 pounds over a range of 9 miles. [48]

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) has been instrumental in developing the Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS, a drone designed for long-range naval ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore cargo transport. This drone is made to meet specific military requirements, including the ability to operate in challenging environments like open waters and heavy winds. It can carry essential cargo and spare parts up to 20 pounds to distances of about 25 miles without needing to refuel. In the future, the Navy plans to integrate these drone capabilities more fully into fleet operations. This integration includes testing and refining the drones' capabilities through further trials and demonstrations in varied scenarios. The goal is to solidify the role of drones in enhancing the logistical support of naval operations while ensuring the safety and efficiency of these systems. [49] [50]

On April 11, 2023 the U.S Department of Defense announced that it was going to contribute 8 million dollars for 21 new delivery drones. These new drones are called the TRV-150C. [51] The TRV-150C can deliver food, water, ammunition, weapons, and medical supplies. [52] An additional benefit to the TRV-150C is its small size that allows only one person to carry the UAV in a special carrying case. [52] The TRV-150C is still under production and should be finished by 2025. [52]

The British Royal Navy began testing Windracers' fixed-wing autonomous drone in 2022. [53] In September 2023, Windracers' self-flying aircraft landed on a Royal Navy carrier at sea as a trial for moving supplies between ships without the need to launch traditional helicopters. [54] In May 2024 Windracers revealed that it has been conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and supporting resupply for the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2023. [55]

Agriculture

The prospects of delivery drone technology in farming were initially realized in Japan in 1986 to address rice shortages. [56]

Originally, Drones entered the agriculture scene for non-spraying applications. This included crop and field-condition data collection to increase profitability within crop production. [57]

Delivery drones have multiple applications in the agriculture sector today. Uses include monitoring irrigation equipment, soil health, pest control, fertilizer spraying, and livestock harvesting. [58] Drones capture valuable information which include soil characteristics, location of drainage tiles, crop nutrient stress levels, crop emergence or stand count, weed species and infestation level, and detection of insects and diseases. [57]

The benefits of drones in agriculture for increasing crop yields, cutting costs, and enhancing efficiency are especially being recognized considering the growing challenges to farming posed by climate change. [59] Although regulations and usage vary, the United States, China, France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand are among the countries increasingly and successfully incorporating UAVs into their farming infrastructure. [59] Regulatory and financial obstacles are attributed as reasons for limited agricultural drone use in Africa and South American regions. [59]

Today, Geographical information systems and specialized software are used in addition to tractors or combines on the ground. There have been programs made to guide drones as they fly over the field. [60] Drones are used in a variety of ways that benefit agricultural growth. Drones can be programmed to detect variations in plant numbers, health, height and other statistics. [60] Drones are also used to apply pesticides to certain crop areas that need it. [60]

Regulation

In February 2014, the prime minister and cabinet affairs minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced that the UAE planned to launch a fleet of UAVs for civilian purposes. [61] Plans were for the UAVs to use fingerprint and eye-recognition systems to deliver official documents such as passports, ID cards and licenses, and supply emergency services at accidents. A battery-powered prototype four-rotor UAV about half a meter across was displayed in Dubai. [62]

In the United States, initial attempts at commercial use of UAVs were blocked by FAA regulation, but were later allowed. In June 2014, the FAA published a document that listed activities not permitted under its regulations, including commercial use, which the organization stated included "delivering packages to people for a fee" or offered as part of a "purchase or another offer." [63] The agency issued waivers to many organizations for less restrictive commercial uses, but each had to apply individually. In August 2016, the FAA adopted Part 107 rules [64] that allowed limited commercial use by right. Drone operation under these rules is restricted to line-of-sight of the pilot and is not allowed over people, implying many applications like delivery to populated areas still requires a waiver. They also require the UAVs weigh less than 55 lb (25 kg), fly up to a maximum of 400 feet (120 m), at a speed of no greater than 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), only be operated during daytime, and that drone operators must also qualify for flying certificates and be at least 16 years old. [65] In 2019, the FAA began certifying drone delivery companies under conventional charter airline Part 135 rules, with some accommodations for drones (such as that the pilot manual did not need to be carried on board). In preparation for higher volumes of drone traffic, the FAA finalized the Remote ID regulation in December 2020, giving manufacturers 18 months and operators 30 months to comply with the requirement for self-identification transmissions outside of designated areas. At the same time, the FAA added a Operations Over People and at Night rule to Part 107. Nighttime operations require anti-collision lights and additional pilot training. For flight over people or moving vehicles, drones are put into four categories depending on capability of injury to people, with the least restricted category having a full Part 21 airworthiness certificate. [66]

Early experiments

The concept of drone delivery entered the mainstream with Amazon Prime Air – Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos' December 2013 announcement that Amazon was planning rapid delivery of lightweight commercial products using UAVs. Amazon's press release was met with skepticism, with perceived hurdles including federal and state regulatory approval, public safety, reliability, individual privacy, operator training and certification, security (hacking), payload thievery, and logistical challenges. [67]

In December 2013, in a research project of Deutsche Post AG subsidiary DHL, a sub-kilogram quantity of medicine was delivered via a prototype Microdrones "Parcelcopter", raising speculation that disaster relief may be the first industry the company will use the technology. [68] [69]

In August 2014, Google revealed it had been testing UAVs in Australia for two years. The Google X program known as "Project Wing" announced an aim to produce drones that can deliver products sold via e-commerce. [70]

In February 2015, Hangzhou-based e-commerce provider Ali Baba started delivery drone service in a partnership with Shanghai YTO Express in which it delivered tea to 450 customers around select cities in China

In 2015, an Israeli startup Flytrex partnered with AHA, [71] Iceland's largest eCommerce website, and together they initiated a drone delivery route which demonstrated reducing delivery time from 30 minutes, to less than 5 minutes.

In March 2016, Flirtey conducted the first fully autonomous FAA approved drone delivery in an urban setting in the U.S. [72]

A partnership between 7-Eleven and Flirtey resulted in the first FAA-approved delivery to a residence in the United States in July 2016, delivering a frozen Slurpee. [73] The following month, the company partnered with Domino's in New Zealand to launch the first commercial drone delivery service. [74] [75]

In China, JD.com has been developing drone delivery capabilities. As of June 2017, JD.com had seven different types of delivery drones in testing across four provinces in China (Beijing, Sichuan, Shaanxi and Jiangsu). The drones are capable of delivering packages weighing between 5 and 30 kg (11 to 66 lb) while flying up to 100 km/h (62 mph). The drones fly along fixed routes from warehouses to special landing pads where one of JD.com's 300,000 local contractors then delivers the packages to the customers’ doorsteps in the rural villages. The e-commerce giant is also working on a 1 metric ton (1,000 kg) delivery drone which will be tested in Shaanxi. [76]

In January 2018, Boeing unveiled a prototype of a cargo drone for up to 500 lb (227 kg) payloads, an electric flying testbed that completed flight tests at the Boeing Research & Technology research center in Missouri. [77]

Commercial systems

Zipline

Zipline is a well established service which delivers medical supplies to hospitals through automated drones. [78] Zipline's drones are made up of three main components, foam chassis, wings, and a battery unit. [79] It has two motors to keep the drone flying with a cargo compartment to hold goods, until they are parachuted down to the delivery site. [79]

In 2016, Zipline began their partnership with the government of Rwanda to construct and operate a medical distribution center in Muhanga. [80] Rwanda has a mountainous geography, poor road conditions, and a long rainy season, making an aerial delivery system more cost efficient and timely than traditional road-based deliveries. [81] As of May 2018, they had delivered over 7,000 units of blood using drones. [82] By October 2020, Zipline had made over 70,000 medical deliveries by drone and expanded operations across Rwanda and Ghana. [83]

Their drones are small fixed-wing electric airplanes, [84] enabling them to fly fast and over long distances (up to 180 km round-trip on a single charge), in all weather seen in Rwanda. Zipline drones use an assisted take-off to enter flight, and for landing they use an arresting gear-inspired mechatronic recovery system.

During a delivery, the Zipline drone does not land, but instead descends to a low height and drops the package to the ground, slowed by a parachute-like air brake.

In 2020, Zipline began deliveries between Novant Health facilities in Kannapolis and Huntersville, North Carolina. [20]

As of April 2024, the company has made over 1 million deliveries to customers. [85] Flying over 70 million autonomous commercial miles and delivering over 10 million products. [85]

Wing

Wing's aircraft delivering goods in Vuosaari, Helsinki. Wing delivery Vuosaari 3.jpg
Wing's aircraft delivering goods in Vuosaari, Helsinki.

The company Wing incubated by Google X began commercial deliveries in Christiansburg, Virginia in October, 2019. [86] It carries parcels up to three pounds, using a tether for the final drop. [87] As of April 2020, shippers were limited to FedEx, Walgreens, Sugar Magnolia, Mockingbird Café, and Brugh Coffee. [88] Wing had obtained an FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate in April, 2019, which allowed it to charge to carry third-party cargo, and to operate out of the line of sight of the pilot. [89] Such waivers and other permissions for drone use are granted by the BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) Aviation Rule Making Committee. [12]

It also delivered over a thousand meals to Virginia Tech students and employees in a fall 2016 test program. [90]

Wing also operates in other regions of the world such as Canberra, Logan, Queensland, and Helsinki, and has plans to expand its services further. [88]

Wing announced it had conducted around 100,000 drone deliveries in August 2021, since launching trial services in September 2019. [91] Wing uses two aircraft designs. The first features 12 hover motors and two cruise motors, which is the faster of the two flying machines, while the second design has four cruise motors and a slightly longer wing. Combining hover and cruise motors allows the aircraft greater maneuverability and speed for navigating urban environments. [91]

DHL

An early pioneer in the drone delivery department partnered with UAV manufacturer Microdrones in December 2013. [92] This pilot program took place in the City of Bonn and delivered pharmaceuticals to employees at DHL's headquarters in Germany. This project led to the DHL Parcelcopter which was tested in 2014 with a pilot project between the North Sea island of Juist and the mainland. The Parcelcopter was able to carry up to 1.2 kg of medicine across the sea over a distance of about 12 km in 15 to 25 minutes.  This proved to DHL that drone delivery was feasible but the company ceased Parcelcopter operations in August 2021. [93]

UPS

As of May, 2020, UPS has made over 3,700 paid drone deliveries under Part 107 rules [94] to WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina. [95] In May 2020, [96] UPS began taking prescriptions via drone under part 107 rules [94] about half a mile from a CVS to a central location in The Villages, Florida, from which a UPS employee makes the home delivery by golf cart. [20]

In 2020, UPS also began drone deliveries between the central Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center campus in Winston-Salem and the health system's other locations. [97] Another delivery service began for UC San Diego Health. [94]

In June 2019, UPS Flight Forward obtained a Part 135 Air Carrier certificate from the FAA, allowing longer-distance and nighttime flights. [94]

Amazon Prime Air

Amazon's intentions to launch a drone delivery service were first announced in 2013 with the announcement of their "octocopers" prototype. [98] Deliveries are carried out within 30 minutes without human operation, using drones that carry loads of five pounds or less. [99] Amazon currently offers this service to two locations in the U.S., including College Station, Texas and Lockeford, California. Prime Air safely delivers Amazon packages within these areas to customers in less than an hour. [100] In 2024, Amazon was granted Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to begin delivery drone tests in the US state of Arizona. [101]

Manna

Founded in 2019, Manna operates a fleet of delivery drones in Ireland, with . Manna was the first company in Europe to receive a European-wide license to operate commercial drone deliveries. [102] Their drone carries 3.5 kg (~8 lb) with ~30,000 cm3[ citation needed ]. With commercial partnerships with Tesco, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Samsung and local vendors of pharmacy, takeaway food, coffee, pastries, books and hardware store, Manna has completed over 100,000 delivery flights as of March 2022.[ citation needed ]

Swoop Aero

Swoop Aero has been operating commercially for over 4 years, and up until this point has developed a network that delivers health supplies to some of the most inaccessible locations such Nsanje and Chikwawa districts in Southern Malawi, assisting over 650,000 people. As a whole, the company serves over 4.5 million people in 6 continents, hoping to reach 1 billion by the year 2030. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they would be recognized as the first company in the world to remotely pilot commercially used drones from another country. [103] [104]

Swoop's drones are capable of completing round trips of around 260 kilometres (160 mi) and can carry a maximum weight of 18 kg, [105] which works out as 10 test kits or up to 50 vials of blood. The drones have a wingspan of 2.4m (nearly 8 feet) and are required to fly below 122m (about 400 feet) to ensure they do not collide with manned aircraft. [106]

Research

Drone technology is continuing to advance with the different efforts of scientific research being held. The global commercial drone market was valued at about $8 billion in 2022 and is projected to hit $47 billion by 2030. [107] Drone improvements include advances in autonomous flight, composite materials, next-generation batteries, extended flight times, and payload capacities. [107] As technology further advances, drones will be integrated with artificial intelligence and machine learning. [107] The future of drone delivery is promising in different applications of drone delivery.

Illegal deliveries

Drug cartels have used UAVs to transport contraband, sometimes using GPS-guided UAVs. [108]

From 2013 and 2015, UAVs were observed delivering items into prisons on at least four occasions in the United States while four separate but similar incidents occurred in Ireland, Britain, Australia and Canada as well. Though not a popular way of smuggling items into prisons, corrections officials state that some individuals are beginning to experiment with UAVs. [109]

In November 2013, four people in Morgan, Georgia, were arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle contraband into Calhoun State Prison with a hexacopter. [110] [111]

In June 2014, a quadcopter crashed into an exercise yard of Wheatfield Prison, Dublin. [112] [113] [114] The quadcopter collided with wires designed to prevent helicopters landing to aid escapes, causing it to crash. [112] [113] [114] A package containing drugs hung from the quadcopter and was seized by prisoners before prison staff could get to it. [112] [113] [114]

Between 2014 and 2015, at two prisons in South Carolina, items such as drugs and cell phones were flown into the area by UAVs with authorities and one prison was unaware of how many deliveries were successfully being brought into the facility before gaining the attention of authorities. [109]

Technology

Aircraft configuration

A delivery drone's design configuration is typically defined by the use-case of what is being delivered, and where it must be delivered to.

A common configuration is a multirotor - such as a quadcopter or octocopter - which is a drone with horizontally-aligned propellers. Another common configuration is a fixed-wing design. A multirotor design provides power to lift the drone and payload, redundancy to powertrain failure, and an ability to hover and descend vertically (VTOL). However, a multirotor configuration is less efficient and produces more noise. A fixed-wing configuration provides an order of magnitude increase in range, flight at higher airspeeds, and produces less noise, but requires more space for take-off, delivery, and landing.[ citation needed ]

There are also hybrid approaches (for example Wingcopter or Swoop Aero) that use multiple horizontal rotors for take-off and landing, and vertical rotors paired with a fixed-wing for forward flight.

Autopilot

There are many sensors in the drone which are necessary for it to fly autonomously. Inertial sensors such as an accelerometer help the drone remain in flight by providing data to allow the autopilot to adjust motor speeds (multirotor configuration) or control surface deflections (fixed-wing configuration) to steer the drone. Navigation sensors such as a GPS or magnetic sensors aid the drone to fly along a specific path or to a specific waypoint by measuring the drone's location and orientation with respect to the earth. Air flow sensors allow the drone to measure the air speed, temperature, and density, and that information maintain safe control of the aircraft. The drone may also use these sensors to estimate the wind speed and direction to assist with package delivery or landing manoeuvres.

In addition to these sensors, modern drones often incorporate a variety of additional cutting-edge technologies to improve their effectiveness in the air. Among the vision-based sensors that are necessary for obstacle avoidance, terrain tracking, and the taking of high-resolution photos for mapping and surveillance are cameras and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Drones can fly safely through confined spaces thanks to these sensors, which process massive volumes of data to create real-time 3D maps of the surroundings.

Communication systems also play a crucial role in the operation of autonomous drones. These systems enable the drone to communicate with a controller, other drones, or a central server for coordination and control. This is essential for applications like fleet management in delivery services or precision agriculture, where multiple drones operate simultaneously. By integrating these different systems, drones are capable of performing a wide range of tasks autonomously, from simple aerial photography to complex, coordinated missions involving multiple aircraft. This sensor fusion, coupled with advanced algorithms for processing and decision-making, allows drones to operate with high efficiency and precision in a variety of conditions and applications.

Powertrain

Delivery drones need powerful motors to keep both the drone steady along with the load. Brushless DC motors are most typically used in drones because they have become cheap, lightweight, powerful, and small. The propeller blades of the drone turn at very high speeds, so the optimal material used for these rotor blades maximizes the strength to weight ratio. Some are made from carbon-fiber reinforced composites while others are made of thermoplastics because they are cheaper so the cost of replacement when the drone crashes is smaller. Lithium ion batteries are used in most drones because they offer enough energy and power, and they are relatively light so they do not weigh down the drone too much.

Ground control system

Delivery drones heavily rely on ground control systems both for ensuring safe operations and supporting their commercial operations. This UAV operator enables communication and control over the drone as well as its payloads. This can be completed by setting parameters for autonomous operations or allowing direct control of the UAV. In terms of safety, the drone operator needs to manage their fleet of aircraft and how they integrate into the broader airspace. For commercial use cases, the ground systems allow for receiving and tracking orders. [115]

Parachute Recovery Systems

For regulatory compliance in numerous countries, drone delivery companies integrate parachute recovery systems. Parachute recovery systems can be unguided and guided. [116] Drone delivery companies that incorporate this technology enable them to fly in more complex operations, such as over people. [117] Drone delivery companies will purchase the integration service and parachute recovery systems from specific manufacturers.

Recharing Stations

In daily life, many shopping malls or gas stations provide facilities such as charging piles. Express delivery drones can also achieve similar results. Some fast charging piles are built in major distribution warehouses, and individual charging piles are built separately on the delivery route of the drone to ensure that it will not run out of power on the way and affect delivery. Moreover, the construction of charging piles can be mobile charging piles, similar to truck-mounted charging piles, which can also improve efficiency and save costs. [118]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilmington Air Park</span> Airport in Wilmington, Ohio

Wilmington Air Park is a public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) southeast of the central business district of Wilmington, a city in Clinton County, Ohio, United States. While DHL had privately owned the property while operating from the facility, the company agreed to donate the airfield to the Clinton County Port Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma</span> Type of aircraft

The AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma is an American unmanned aircraft system which is small, battery powered, and hand-launched. Its primary mission is surveillance and intelligence gathering using an electro-optical and infrared camera. It is produced by AeroVironment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazon Prime Air</span> Conceptual drone-based delivery system currently in development

Amazon Prime Air, or simply Prime Air, is a drone delivery service operated by Amazon. The service uses delivery drones to autonomously fly individual packages to customers, and launched in 2022. The service currently operates in two cities in the US, with plans to expand into the UK and Italy in 2024.

The US Federal Aviation Administration has adopted the name small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) to describe aircraft systems without a flight crew on board weighing less than 55 pounds. More common names include UAV, drone, remotely piloted vehicle (RPV), remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), and remotely operated aircraft (ROA). These unmanned aircraft flown in the USA's National Airspace System must operate under the rules of a Community Based Organization for recreational purposes or 14 CFR Part 107 for commercial operations. All UAVs weighing more than 250 grams flown for any purpose must be registered with the FAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regulation of unmanned aerial vehicles</span>

Regulation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) involves setting safety requirements, outlining regulations for the safe flying of drones, and enforcing action against errant users.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commercial UAS Modernization Act</span>

The Commercial UAS Modernization Act is a bill introduced in the 114th Congress by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and John Hoeven (R-ND) that would create temporary guidelines for the use of unmanned aircraft systems and regulations for the commercial drone industry. Most commercial use of drones in the U.S. is currently banned by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flirtey</span> American UAV manufacturer

Flirtey was a Reno, Nevada-based drone delivery company. The company completed the first Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved drone delivery in the United States in 2015, the first FAA-approved urban delivery in March 2016 and the first FAA-approved commercial drone delivery to a customer home in July 2016. Flirtey is also developing air traffic control computer software for drones in a collaboration with NASA. One of the company's drones is in the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raytheon Coyote</span> Type of aircraft

The Raytheon Coyote is a small, expendable, unmanned aircraft system built by the Raytheon Company, with the capability of operating in autonomous swarms. It is launched from a sonobuoy canister with the wings deploying in early flight phase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Applied Aeronautics</span> American drone manufacturer

Applied Aeronautics is a commercial drone manufacturer. Founded in 2014, Applied Aeronautics is headquartered in Austin, Texas. Applied Aeronautics is a manufacturer of affordable drones and drone related accessories for commercial and government customers. Their flagship product is the Albatross, an electric, long-range, fixed wing UAV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zipline (drone delivery company)</span> Company that delivers medical supplies by drone

Zipline International Inc. is an American company that designs, manufactures, and operates delivery drones. The company operates distribution centers in the United States, Rwanda, Ghana, Japan, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, and Kenya. As of April 2024, its drones have made more than one million commercial deliveries and flown more than 70 million autonomous miles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wingcopter</span> German aerospace company

Wingcopter GmbH is a German aerospace company that designs and manufactures unmanned eVTOL delivery drones capable of providing last-mile delivery as well as mapping, surveying, and inspection. Their flagship drone, Wingcopter 178 Heavy Lift (HL), set the Guinness world speed record for remote-controlled tilt-rotor aircraft in 2018, flying at an average speed of 240.6 km/h. To date, the company has partnered with commercial and humanitarian organizations to perform drone delivery of critical supplies in Africa, the South Pacific, Ireland, and Scotland. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wingcopter partnered with Thales, Skyports, and the NHS to provide beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) delivery of medical test samples and other supplies to a hospital on a remote Scottish island. The company has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as "2020 Technology Pioneer". The company is amongst ten other drone companies to be selected by FAA to participate in a type certification program for delivery drones.

Malloy Aeronautics is a British company which specialises in the research and development of heavy lift vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Based in Maidenhead, England, the company was founded in 2013 by Chris Malloy and has activities in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia. Its products include the T-series of heavy lift drones, which are primarily designed for logistics purposes, for private, commercial, military and government use. In the United States, its products are sold in partnership with SURVICE Engineering. In February 2024, the company was acquired by BAE Systems and merged into its FalconWorks division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windracers</span> British manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles

Windracers is a UK-based manufacturer of autonomous cargo drones. Founded in 2017, its self-flying aircraft were originally conceived to bring down the cost of delivering humanitarian aid to remote communities. The long-distance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can fly up to 1,000 km before refuelling and can be used for multiple purposes including mail delivery, defence, humanitarian aid, firefighting and academic research.

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