RUNNING HEAD : PACKAGE DELIVERY AND FLIGHT COORDINATION 1

URBAN PACKAGE DELIVERY AND FLIGHT COORDINATION

Nawah Ahmad, Ulrich Atongazi, Sean Harrigan, Haris Khalid

October 15, 2020

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Rationale

Our goal is to design an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) that will be able to deliver

packages within the city limits. We envision a world where drones aren’t just used for capturing

videos; but instead for delivering packaged goods to various locations, therefore reducing the

costs of human use while increasing the efficiency of package deliveries. Our main synoptical

background revolves around the various pros and cons of an Unmanned Aircraft System. The

argument here is higher levels of efficiency. Thanks to GPS technologies, deliveries by drones

would be able to automatically navigate to a specific address when a product is ordered Another

concept would be time management, where human deliveries are at fault. Human deliveries may

face many problems during parcel delivery such as traffic, accidents, lazy drivers etc. By using

the drone, humans can only focus on the order fulfillment and customer care while the drones

deliver the product.

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Question & Hypothesis

When designing a UAS drone, it’s important to consider many factors such as weather

conditions, property theft, fuel, programming, rotor design etc. In regards to our question, what

would be the optimal design for a UAS drone system tailored specifically for city package

delivery? Essentially, if helicopter blades, crowdsourcing, and a fuel/battery system, it should

optimize drone package efficiency.

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Materials

Apparatus Materials:

- Framework with loading platform

- 4 Brushless DC Motors

- RC Flight Controller

- RF Receiver

- Control Server

- Aircraft Propellers

- Lithium Ion Rechargeable Batteries

- Charging Station

Measurement Materials:

- Measuring Tape

- Notebook paper

- Pencil

- DC Electrical Multimeter

- Soldering Iron

- Solder

- Electrical Tape

- Electrical Wire

Design Materials

- AutoCad Software

- Drafting paper and pencil

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Methods

procedures/experimental design and methods for data collection

Construction of Drone

1. Design and construct an Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) framework, with allowance

for carrying a large load

2. Mount motors and propellers to UAV framework, with space allowance away from each

propeller such that no propellers collide with one another.

3. Mount the flight controller and antenna underneath the UAV, and wire the brushless

motors to the flight controller

4. Mount the appropriate Lithium Ion battery to the framework, and do not connect the

battery to the flight controller.

5. Design and assemble the charging apparatus, such that it can charge the Lithium Ion

batteries.

6. Design and assemble the flight control server, and program such apparatus to

communicate with the UAV

7. Connect battery to flight controller, and run drone commands from the main control

server.
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Data​ Analysis

There are procedures and analytical tools used to analyze the data that answer research questions

or hypotheses:

● Nanomap​: It models the uncertainty of a drone’s location for accurate drone navigation

over time, Depth sensing is used in order to measure its surroundings. It also includes

searching its previous history of its recent views to predict how to move in an unseen

area. Computer scientists have been working on adding advances to drones which allow

them to pinpoint their locations, understand surroundings, and travel with limited

difficulty. Tracking uncertainty can help scientists in improving its ability to travel better

in different surroundings.

● GNSS​: GNSS, or Global Navigation Satellites Systems, are used by a variety of aerial

drones. It’s signal availability is based on altitude, inclination angle of the satellite, and

Earth’s ground-level width of the signal transmitter attached to the satellite. GNSS needs

at least 4 satellites ​for a full position fix/time or altitude fix.​ Spacing and altitude are

important parts for lessening errors created due to the geometry of satellites. ​Quality of

spacing of satellites was termed as the geometric dilution of precision (GDOP)​.​ Errors

experienced by GPS users at high latitudes mainly depend on GDOP.​ Scientists can use

GNSS in helping track a drone’s location and further work on developing it’s path of

flight.

● Digital​ Gearbox​: A company named Top Flight has been working on creating hybrid

drones. They have been working on changes for Digital Gearbox, a microscale hybrid

engine concept. It copies the same systems of engines in vehicles but uses electricity to

control everything by putting gasoline into a small generator from which a digital
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gearbox sends pulses to the electronics and motors. ​Pulsing electricity can allow control

of the torque and revolutions per minute of the motor.for control of torque and

revolutions per minute of the motor.​ Scientists can determine how far a drone with this

engine can travel and make any adjustments if needed for maximum optimization.
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Risk & Safety

Because our project requires the usage of potential hazardous equipment, we must follow certain

safety precautions when constructing and testing our drone. First, when using a Computer

Numerical Control (CNC), a minor injury can occur if the machinery is not properly positioned

over the material.​ When testing the drone, there is a possibility that a team member could get hit

and can face an injury. Similarly, when cutting pieces of materials when constructing the drone,

there is a chance of a small or even major injury being inflicted upon the user. As the COVID-19

virus is rampant throughout the world, it is difficult to work on a single drone unless a single

person alone works on it or certain measures are taken which include maintaining a 6 feet

distance, wearing face masks, face shields, gloves, and sterilizing the drone if necessary. It is

important to have a trained professional present at all times for aid when using dangerous

machinery and if any emergencies occur like cuts or injuries.

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Bibliography

Chu, J. (2014, August 21). Delivery by Drone. Retrieved October 6, 2020, from

https://news.mit.edu/2014/algorithm-monitors-delivery-drones-0821

Conner-Simons, A. (2018, February 12). Programming drones to fly in the face of uncertainty.

Retrieved September 15, 2020, from

https://news.mit.edu/2018/mit-csail-programming-drones-fly-face-uncertainty-0212

M. Alwateer, S. W. Loke and N. Fernando, "Enabling Drone Services: Drone Crowdsourcing

and Drone Scripting," in IEEE Access, vol. 7, pp. 110035-110049, 2019, doi:

10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2933234.

Matheson, R. (2017, August 4). Hybrid drones carry heavier payloads for greater distances.

Retrieved September 24, 2020, from

https://news.mit.edu/2017/hybrid-drones-carry-heavier-payloads-greater-distances-0804

Sheridan, Iain. (2020, March 18). Drones and global navigation satellite systems: current

evidence from polar scientists. Retrieved September 29, 2020, from

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.191494