Thu, Feb 14, 2019
It Takes A Lot Less Energy To Delivery Good Things In Small Packages Using A UAV
Delivering a small package weighing a few ounces along a truck delivery route requires virtually the same energy and cost as delivering a very large package weighing 50 pounds or more.
Yet a substantial proportion of online shopping deliveries are small items such as jewelry, electronic gadgets, spare parts etc. Such smaller items are ideal for being delivered by drones.
Krossblade Aerospace is an Arizona-based aviation start-up company that is working on bringing rapid aerial transport to more people. Krossblade is currently working on the proof of concept of a vertical take-off transformer airplane that seats 5 people, called the SkyCruiser. SkyProwler 2 is the 2019 UAV/drone version of this vertical take-off and landing concept. SkyProwler can take off and land almost anywhere. It cruises in fixed wing mode at around 50 mph and can stay airborne for close to one hour. SkyProwler 2 can carry slightly more than 1 pound of payload.
The energy needed by the SkyProwler 2 to deliver a small item, like the jewelry box shown, over a distance of 20 miles (straight line distance) and back is only 1/10 of a kilowatt hour (kWh). This energy costs only ~1 cent. By comparison, depending on the delivery route, the energy cost (gasoline/diesel) per delivery by a delivery truck along a grid can be up to 50 cents. If the UAV is electric, like SkyProwler 2 is, then there are no local emissions.
SkyProwler 2 takes off and lands vertically. It can hover in the air to accurately drop its cargo. Cruise flight is in fixed wing mode (airplane) which allows it to cruise at around 50 miles per hour. It can reach a destination 20 miles away (straight line distance) in less than 30 minutes. Drones such as SkyProwler 2 have GPS. They are able to locate themselves with an accuracy of less than 2 feet. Visual sensors can enhance accuracy and recognize cargo drop zones.
The company knows there are a few hurdles in the way of making drone delivery available. For one, drones are currently not allowed to fly autonomously. They envision a scenario for drone delivery in which merchants have their own small fleet to deliver their goods. Another is that specialized companies send out drones to pick up and deliver on behalf of merchants.
(Source: Krossblade Aerospace news release. Image provided)
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