United States Department of Transportation
i
Modeling the Sustainability of Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Technologies
-
2018-12-01
[PDF-1017.69 KB]
Details:
-
Creators:
-
Corporate Creators:
-
Corporate Contributors:
-
Subject/TRT Terms:
-
Publication/ Report Number:
-
Resource Type:
-
Geographical Coverage:
-
Corporate Publisher:
-
Abstract:This report presents novel data, relationship, and models for deliveries utilizing small UAVs with a tare of up to 15 kilograms (kg). The survey of currently available UAVs shows that payload, size, energy consumption, and cost are positively correlated and tend to increase together. Unfortunately, potential safety, noise, and last-yard constraints also increase as drone capabilities and size increase. Cost metrics such as cost per flying hour (CPFH) are the most relevant for small UAVs since they readily take into account the impact of operator labor cost and utilization, clearly the largest cost components. Results clearly indicate that UAVs are more CO2e efficient for small payloads than conventional diesel vans on a per-distance basis. Drastically different results are obtained when customers can be grouped in a delivery route. UAV deliveries are not more CO2e efficient than tricycle or electric van delivery services if a few customers can be grouped in a route. Vehicle phase CO2e emissions for UAVs are significant and must be taken into account. Currently available UAV technology can fill a delivery service niche in sparsely populated areas with low numbers of customers and density. In rural areas, the regulatory landscape and last-yard delivery constraints are also more relaxed. In rural areas, the economic benefit brought about by reducing the cost of a driver to visit remote customers are obvious, but in this environment, UAV range is a key consideration. In dense urban areas, several first- and last-mile service, privacy, regulatory, and security issues must be addressed before UAV services are feasible.
-
Format:
-
Funding:
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:
-
Download URL:
-
File Type:
