E-Drone: Transforming the energy demand of supply chains through integrated UAV-to-land logistics for 2030

研究背景：面包车是英国增长最快的有执照道路车辆类别，对二氧化碳排放量有重大影响。履行服务职能的货车在活动中占很大比例，鉴于城市当局对货运车辆的准入限制越来越多，物流供应商正在认真研究替代运营做法。我们建议研究如何将无人机（UAV）和陆地物流系统相结合并进行管理，以创造新的服务，这将为监管和运营标准对混合物流车队能源效率的影响提供新的认识。无人机越来越被视为一种新的模式，以协助最后一英里的物流与病理学被视为一个现实的领域，可以利用无人机在商业规模，以显着减少服务时间和排放。随着NHS每年在病理学物流方面的支出估计为25亿英镑，并且患者人数不断增加，有必要重新思考如何在降低物流成本的同时沿着能源需求，同时改善患者的出血诊断时间。无人机全球市场预计将从2016年的20亿美元增长到2020年的近1270亿美元，并将对受控和非受控空域产生重大影响。无人机进入物流车队的最大障碍是目前缺乏无人机在民用空域的整合，这需要制定合适的空中交通规则。只有在通过模拟量化了管理无人机使用和操作影响的法规时，才能实现无人机在这一领域的真正节能和总体可行性。我们的研究愿景是研究涉及无人机与传统和可持续的最后一英里交付解决方案一起运行的物流解决方案的节能潜力（货车、运货自行车和步行搬运工通过微型集中点）。这涉及对无人机操作如何在各种法规下与有人驾驶飞机一起在共享空域中发挥作用产生根本性的新理解。我们的主要研究目标是：可衡量的目标：1）调查目前“一切照旧”的NHS病理学物流在整个索伦特地区的集体运输和能源影响。2）开发新的模拟工具来量化无人机和陆地物流系统的能源消耗，这些系统来自：i）共享空域的潜在新型交通管制; ii）无人机碰撞和动态自动路径重新规划规定; iii）冲突解决规则; iv）允许的协调类型; v）地面后勤系统和基础设施的可用性和定位，以有效地与无人机进行交互并为无人机提供服务。3）使用模拟工具和现场试验评估大规模采取行动对空域和能源使用的影响。4）对利益相关者关注的问题以及与无人机干预相关的监管和治理需求形成基本的新理解，从而实现物流中的能源效益。潜在应用和益处：作为项目的一部分，我们的研究成果将由Meachers Global Logistics和Steve Porter Transport进行试验，并将提供切实效益的证据让航空公司在其后勤舰队中采用无人机。该项目将为共享空域的无人机监管和管理政策提供证据，这是运输部，民航局和NATS的关键要求。它还将提供第一个具体的证据，证明在真实的操作和监管条件下，将无人机与陆地物流相结合的能源需求效益。

CONTEXT OF THE RESEARCH:Vans are the fastest-growing category of licensed road vehicle in the UK, significantly impacting on CO2 emissions. Vans performing service functions make up the large proportion of activity and, given the increasing access constraints imposed on freight vehicles by city authorities, alternative operating practices are being seriously investigated by logistics providers. Our proposed research into how Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and land logistics systems can be combined and managed to create new services will provide fundamental new understanding into the impacts of regulation and operating criteria on the energy efficiency of mixed logistics fleets. UAVs are increasingly seen as a new mode to assist in last-mile logistics with pathology being seen as a realistic domain that could utilise UAVs on a commercial scale, to significantly reduce service times and emissions. With the NHS spending an estimated £2.5 billion annually on pathology logistics and with patient numbers rising, there is a need to re-think how logistics costs could be reduced along with energy demand whilst improving the bleed-to-diagnosis times for patients. The UAV global market is estimated to grow from $2 billion in 2016, to nearly $127 billion by 2020 and will have a significant impact on both controlled and uncontrolled airspace. The greatest barrier to UAV adoption into logistics fleets is the current lack of integration of UAVs within civil airspace which requires development of suitable air traffic rules. The true energy savings and overall viability of UAVs in this domain will only be realised when the regulations governing their use and the operational implications have been quantified through simulation.AIM AND OBJECTIVES: Our research vision is to examine the energy reduction potential of logistics solutions involving UAVs operating alongside traditional and sustainable last-mile delivery solutions (vans, cargo cycles and walking porters via micro-consolidation points). This involves generating fundamental new understanding of how UAV operations will function in shared airspace alongside manned aircraft under various regulations. The project uses a case study based around NHS pathology sample transportation involving simulated and live trials across the Solent region to investigate this.Our key research objectives are to:Measurable objectives:1) Investigate the collective transport and energy impacts of current 'business-as-usual' NHS pathology logistics across the Solent region.2) Develop new simulation tools to quantify the energy consumption of UAVs and land logistics systems resulting from: i) potential new types of traffic regulation for shared airspace; ii) UAV collision and dynamic automated path re-planning stipulations; iii) conflict-resolution rules; iv) types of permitted coordination; v) the availability and positioning of ground logistics systems and infrastructure to effectively interact with and service UAVs.3) Evaluate using the simulation tools and live trials the impact on air space and energy use of a large scale take-up of UAVs for medical logistics across the Solent region.4) Develop fundamental new understandings of stakeholder concerns and the regulatory and governance needs associated with UAV interventions that realise energy benefits in logistics.POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS AND BENEFITS: Our research outcomes will be trialled by Meachers Global Logistics and Steve Porter Transport as part of the project and will provide evidence of the tangible benefits to carriers from adopting UAVs into their logistics fleets. The project will provide evidence for UAV regulation and management policies for shared airspace, highlighted as a key requirement by the Department for Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority and NATS. It will also provide the first concrete evidence of the energy demand benefits of integrating UAVs with land logistics under real operating and regulatory conditions.