I-Corps: Optimization-driven high-density air traffic management software for large-scale drone operations

I-Corps：用于大规模无人机操作的优化驱动的高密度空中交通管理软件

• 批准号: 2018127
• 负责人: Yanchao Liu
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: Wayne State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-05-01 至 2023-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2018127&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Optimization; driven; density; air

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to develop technology to make the low-altitude airspace more accessible for commercial drone delivery operations while ensuring a high level of operational safety and efficiency. Large-scale, organized deployment of delivery drones can unlock substantial efficiency gain in transportation systems in terms of reduced road congestion, reduced CO2 emission; in addition, it would offer health and convenience benefits to senior citizens, the ill, and mobility-challenged members of society. However, existing drone delivery practices are limited in scope, scale, and operating conditions due to inefficient air traffic management (ATM) paradigms. This project aims to discover a viable business model for translating technological innovations in unmanned ATM into an operable, city-scale, fully automated drone delivery system. The proposed system would allow safe use of the low-altitude airspace at an unprecedented density and efficiency, generating enormous savings for last-mile deliveries. This I-Corps project explores the development of a suite of novel optimization-driven algorithms in the areas of motion-planning, dynamic vehicle routing, communication and risk minimization to provide real-time ATM and trajectory control for a cooperative fleet of drones navigating a shared airspace. Existing ATM methods leave excessive separation margins due to human-level response time and control dexterity. In contrast, the proposed new system is optimized for high-density air traffic conditions, offering the capability to generate real-time adjustments to 4D flight trajectories, tolerating a smaller separation margin, and overseeing safe execution of control commands across the fleet. In a plug-and-play fashion, the proposed system will turn a collection of heterogeneous multicopter drones into an organized and intelligent fleet. The competitive advantage lies in the fusion of the state-of-the-art operations research (OR) models and algorithms onto drone platforms via commoditized cloud computing, IoT and communication infrastructures.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发技术，使商业无人机交付操作更容易进入低空空域，同时确保高水平的操作安全和效率。大规模、有组织地部署送货无人机可以在减少道路拥堵、减少二氧化碳排放方面为交通系统带来实质性的效率提升;此外，它还将为老年人、病人和行动不便的社会成员提供健康和便利。然而，由于空中交通管理（ATM）模式效率低下，现有的无人机交付实践在范围，规模和操作条件方面受到限制。该项目旨在探索一种可行的商业模式，将无人驾驶ATM的技术创新转化为可操作的城市规模的全自动无人机交付系统。拟议中的系统将允许以前所未有的密度和效率安全使用低空空域，为最后一英里交付节省大量资金。这个I-Corps项目探索了在运动规划，动态车辆路线，通信和风险最小化领域开发一套新颖的优化驱动算法，为无人机的合作舰队提供实时ATM和轨迹控制。现有的ATM方法由于人类水平的响应时间和控制灵活性而留下过多的分离裕度。相比之下，拟议中的新系统针对高密度空中交通条件进行了优化，提供了对4D飞行轨迹进行实时调整的能力，允许较小的间隔裕度，并监督整个机队控制命令的安全执行。以即插即用的方式，拟议的系统将把一系列异构的多旋翼无人机变成一个有组织的智能舰队。竞争优势在于通过商品化的云计算、物联网和通信基础设施将最先进的运筹学（OR）模型和算法融合到无人机平台上。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Routing battery-constrained delivery drones in a depot network: A business model and its optimization–simulation assessment

• DOI: 10.1016/j.trc.2023.104147
• 发表时间: 2023-07
• 期刊: Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies
• 作者: Yan-chun Liu