Drones
Drones
Drones
IN LOGISTICS
A DHL perspective on implications and
use cases for the logistics industry
2014
PUBLISHER
DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation
Represented by Matthias Heutger,
Senior Vice President Strategy,
Marketing & Development, DHL CSI
53844 Troisdorf, Germany
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Dr. Markus Kckelhaus
DHL Trend Research
PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND EDITORIAL OFFICE
Denis Niezgoda, Stefan Endri
DHL Trend Research
Preface
PREFACE
Flight of fancy or a fascinating new feature of modern
living? Some doubt that our skies will ever be filled with
pilot-less aerial devices. Others say that this future will
be ours very soon. In different ways, both opinions are
close to the truth.
This trend report takes a fully grounded look at the role
of these devices in our near-future. It deals with current
capabilities and circumstances, exploring the positive
potential as well as the existing limitations of unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones but this
report deliberately avoids the name drones as it has
some profoundly negative connotations.
Yours sincerely,
Matthias Heutger
Table of Contents
Preface............................................................................................... 1
Understanding UAVs.......................................................................... 3
1.1 Scope ....................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Regulation .............................................................................................. 4
1.3 Technology.............................................................................................. 6
Understanding UAVs
UNDERSTANDING UAVs
1.1 Scope
It is important to distinguish between military
and non-military use of UAVs. Until recently, media
coverage has focused mainly on military use, coining
the term drone and leaving many with negative
attitudes towards this new technology. Michael Toscano,
President of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle
Systems International, is quoted in the Washington
Times saying The word [drone] instantly conjures
up mental images of large predators firing missiles
at hostile targets around the world.2
This report focuses solely on non-military applications.
It is clear though, as with many other examples of technical development, that major advancements are likely
to find their roots in military UAV usage and application.
In this report, we do not look into very long-distance
(e.g., transatlantic) unmanned flight operations,
because UAVs capable of performing these operations
are likely to function in a comparable way to existing
cargo airplanes (e.g., with horizontal take-off at airports).
As such, they are not game-changing in the same way as
are smaller UAVs designed to replace road delivery in
megacities or overcome infrastructure challenges in Africa.
The scope of this report is also limited by timeframe.
As technology and the regulatory environment are
both subject to substantial change and development,
the outlook in this report is restricted to the next ten years.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/18/tech/innovation/zookal-will-deliver-textbooks-using-drones/
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/14/drone-industry-journalists-dont-use-word-drones/
Understanding UAVs
1.2 Regulation
The regulatory environment plays a crucial role in UAV
adoption. Currently, there seems to be little common
ground on designing effective rules across borders, let
alone continents. Regulations vary widely from country
to country. Major legislative changes could be realized
over the coming years, particularly in the USA.
But regulators are constantly being criticized for moving
too slowly on the matter. Mary Cummings, Director of
the MIT Humans and Automation Laboratory, urges
politicians to act in her Boston Globe article: Congress
needs to hold the FAAs feet to the fire before this technology takes flight and leaves the US commercial market
behind.3 She cites estimations of a USD 10bn yearly loss
for the US economy caused by overly strict regulations.
But regulating bodies believe they have solid arguments
for taking their time. Amazons plans to use UAVs for
deliveries have been grounded for the time being, with the
FAA declaring that they will not allow UAVs to be used
for delivering packages to people for a fee.4 Three major
reasons explain why UAV regulation is a delicate matter:
Congested Airspace
Inherent Risks
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/12/08/drones-and-and/MgLXPHtr0nvWqwkltSORYM/story.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/amazons-drone-delivery-grounded-by-the-faa-9561807.html
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/03/ufo-black-drone-fbi/
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/12/08/drones-and-and/MgLXPHtr0nvWqwkltSORYM/story.html
Understanding UAVs
Technology Change
Social Change
Business Change
Political Change
Time
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22678580
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread983050/pg1
Understanding UAVs
1.3 Technology
The selection of available UAVs has greatly expanded
over the last few years and it has become difficult to
keep track of the entire range. The market offers
diverse systems, and there is no universal classification.
The US military uses a tier system with specific
UAV requirements (e.g., they must offer particular
levels of range or endurance).
In general, systems tend to be classified by measurements or specifications, which can relate not only
to range and endurance but also to size, maximum
take-off weight, service ceiling, and price. Other major
distinctions are the build type and the engine used. The
following table gives a brief overview of the advantages
and disadvantages of different build types (see Figure 3).
Build Types
Fixed-Wing
Tilt-Wing
Advantage
Disadvantage
Long range
Endurance
Horizontal take-off,
requiring substantial space
(or support, e.g., catapult)
Inferior maneuverability
compared to VTOL (Vertical
Take-Off and Landing)
Combination
of fixed-wing and
VTOL advantages
Visual
Technologically complex
Expensive
Unmanned
Helicopter
VTOL
Maneuverability
High payloads
possible
Expensive
Comparably high
maintenance requirements
Multicopter
Inexpensive
Easy to launch
Low weight
Limited payloads
Susceptible to wind
due to low weight
Source: Microdrones
Understanding UAVs
Figure 4: DHL-Paketcopter
2.1 Energy/Infrastructure
For big energy players, it is tedious and costly to constantly
monitor their infrastructure. This can be due to the vast
size of energy sites (mining), the scale of the infrastructure
(power lines, pipelines), or the challenging environment
(offshore wind parks).
UAVs can be operated more economically than manned
helicopters; they are less limited by weather conditions
(although this varies by model) and easier to deploy.
They can be operated in extreme weather conditions
and in geographically challenging locations without
putting personnel at risk.
Another advantage is that UAVs can follow a preprogrammed flight path, and fly closer to both the
infrastructure and the ground. This allows for highly
detailed flight plans, higher measurement accuracy,
and increased repeatability.
An example from the energy sector is the use of Swiss
UAV systems to inspect offshore wind power plants
in the North Sea and in pipeline monitoring activities
in Turkey (see Figure 6).9
http://www.ila-berlin.de/ila2014/konferenzen2012/upload2012/04%20-%20SUAV-civil%20use1.pdf
http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/u-s-forest-service-drops-plans-to-use-drones-in/article_5d2a4c6e-c5b4-11e2-a357-001a4bcf887a.html
10
http://www.sensysmag.com/spatialsustain/personal-uav-gains-an-audience.html
11
http://www.int-arch-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/XL-1-W2/21/2013/isprsarchives-XL-1-W2-21-2013.pdf
12
http://enewsletters.constructionexec.com/techtrends/2013/07/drones-show-potential-to-aid-jobsite-safety-and-efficiency/
13
http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/16/world/africa/helicopters-versus-drones-rhino/index.html?iref=allsearch
14
15
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2011/12/24/sea-shepherd-intercepts-the-japanese-whaling-fleet-with-drones-1299
10
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/04/inside-the-drone-missions-to-fukushima/237981/
16
http://www.e-volo.com/information/what-is-a-volocopter
17
http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/uavs-perform-autonomous-search-and-rescue-operations
18
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sa-police-to-use-unmanned-drones-to-spy-on-criminals/story-e6frg6n6-1226671865697
19
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/03/queensland-police-now-flying-drones-around-crime-scenes/
20
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/08/15/its-a-bird-its-a-plane-its-a-drone-that-makes-movies/
21
http://finance-commerce.com/2014/01/drone-photography-catching-on-in-real-estate/
22
http://www.dronestagr.am/about/
23
http://matternet.us/matternet-manifesto/
24
11
12
Implications in Logistics
IMPLICATIONS IN LOGISTICS
http://www.swissre.com/media/news_releases/nr_20131031_sigma_urbanisation.html
25
Chinas e-tail revolution: Online shopping as a catalyst for growth, McKinsey Global Institute, March 2013
26
http://atp-innovations.com.au/flirtey/
27
Implications in Logistics
Figure 14: UAV teams up with AMP; Source: AMP Electric Vehicles
The first and last meters of the delivery process are likely
to be the most technically challenging. If the customer
is outdoors and moving, the UAV could meet them and
hand-over the delivery after identifying the customer via
NFC or QR code on their smartphone. But if the customer
is at home, things gets trickier. With a garden or balcony
available, the UAV could drop the parcel onto this. With
large buildings and skyscrapers, the UAV could land on
the roof. The most problematic delivery would be to
mid- sized buildings with pitched roofs structures that
are prevalent in European locations necessitating an
alternative delivery point, perhaps some sort of collection
point. The existing DHL Packstation or Paketkasten network could be upgraded to handle shipments of this kind
(see Figure 15).
http://www.wired.com/2014/06/the-next-big-thing-you-missed-delivery-drones-launched-from-trucks-are-the-future-of-shipping/?mbid=social_linkedin
28
13
14
Implications in Logistics
http://www.grandchallenges.org/Explorations/Pages/GrantsAwarded.aspx?Topic=Vaccines&Round=8&Phase=all
29
Implications in Logistics
http://www.cnet.com/news/google-announces-project-wing-for-drone-deliveries/
30
15
16
Implications in Logistics
Implications in Logistics
http://www.totallyunmanned.com/2014/06/20/bp-uav-makes-oil-production-safer-profitable/
31
17
18
Implications in Logistics
3.4 Intralogistics
UAVs could play a vital role in intralogistics. Consider
the automotive industry with its massive production
sites, just-in-time processes, and mind-boggling cost
of idle production lines: UAVs could support intraplant transport as well as the supplier-to-plant
emergency deliveries which are typically performed
by helicopter today. Large-scale mining areas could
also profit from the on-site express delivery of items
that are crucial to maintaining operations (e.g.,
delivery of tools, machine parts, and lubricants).
For example, a Fraunhofer IML research project investigates the use of a UAV platform for indoor and outdoor
flights (see Figure 24). This concept is based on the
Internet of Things, focusing on self-organization of
machines and interaction among systems. The sensors
allow the system to independently observe and analyze
the surrounding environment so that the UAV is able to
navigate through a warehouse, find logistical objects and
carry out an inventory check. The information collected
is also transmitted to third-party systems via intelligent
interfaces and services. This allows the direct transfer of
selected context-related information.32
http://www.aibotix.com/research-project-inventairy.html
32
R
ural deliveries in areas that lack adequate
infrastructure (e.g., in Africa) enabling people
in remote locations to be connected to the global
trade networks
This topic will continue to be of great interest over
the next few years, particularly if technological
developments and changes in legislation accelerate
the dissemination of UAVs.
DHL Trend Research invites you to join this
exciting journey to the future. Make sure you keep
posted through our publications, visit us at the
DHL Innovation Center (where you can see for
yourself the DHL Paketkopter), and reach out to
discuss your joint UAV project initiatives.
We look forward to hearing from you!
19
20
Sources
SOURCES
AMP Electric Vehicles
UAV teams up with AMP.
URL: http://ampelectricvehicles.com/wp-content/themes/
amp_v1/images/horsefly_crop.jpg
Autonomik 4.0
The Inventairy Research Project.
URL: http://www.autonomik40.de/InventAIRy.php
Avinc
UAV application in forestry.
URL: https://www.avinc.com/public-safety/applications/fire
Use of UAVs for environmental purpose.
URL: https://www.avinc.com/public-safety/applications/
environmental
Bitpage
Packstation
URL: http://www.bitpage.de/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/
dhl_packstation22.jpg
Blog Zeit
Inspection of offshore wind power plants in the North Sea.
URL: http://blog.zeit.de/gruenegeschaefte/files/2012/03/
av_Heli_MI_2010.jpg
Engadget
Googles drone deliveries.
URL: http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/28/google-x-project-wing/
Microdrones
Multicopter UAVs.
URL: http://www.microdrones.com
Modelairplanenews
BP using UAV.
URL: http://cdn6.modelairplanenews.com/wp-content/
uploads/2013/01/Capture5.jpg
Neuerdings
Paketkasten
URL: http://static.neuerdings.com/1399910090/dhl-paketkasten.jpg
Telegraph
Police applications of UAVs.
URL: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-andorder/
9496230/Police-drones-could-be-used-to-monitorpublicfrom-sky.html
SciDev.Net
Matternet field test in Haiti.
URL: http://www.scidev.net/objects_store/thumbnail/
80B526CCC0BD636E58F70C7AEF057318.jpg
Soliforum
Multicopter used for taking low altitude aerial photos.
URL: http://www.soliforum.com/topic/1222/
rc-planeshelicopterscarsmulticopters-anyone/
Falcon-UAV
Police applications of UAVs.
URL: http://www.falcon-uav.com/falcon-uav-pictures/
Stern
DHL Paketkopter flies to German isle.
URL: http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/news/dhl-testetdrohnen-juist-wird-von-paketkopter-angeflogen-2140565.html
Fast Company
A UAV with an off-the-shelf camera attached.
URL: http://www.fastcompany.com/1816578/unmanneddrones-go-afghanistan-hollywood
sUAS News
Tilt-wing UAV.
URL: http://www.suasnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/
QTW.png
Flightradar24
URL: http://www.Flightradar24.com
Swiss UAV
Unmanned helicopter.
URL: http://www.swiss-uav.com
Indra Company
Fixed-Wing UAV.
URL: http://www.indracompany.com/en/sectores/
seguridad-y-defensa/nuestra-oferta/3583/unmanned-plataform
Int Arch
ANTEOS MINI during an acquisition in LAquila.
http://www.int-arch-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.
net/XL-1-W2/21/2013/isprsarchives-XL-1-W2-21-2013.pdf
Larry Downes
The Law of Disruption, taken from Unleashing the Killer App
Digital Strategies for Market Dominance, Larry Downes, 2000
Wallstreet Journal
The DHL Paketcopter delivering a parcel in Bonn.
URL: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304
014504579248142436732018; Getty Images
Web2Carz
Textbook delivery service via UAV.
URL: http://www.web2carz.com/images/articles/201310/
flirtey_zookal_1381957998_600x275.jpg
Denis Niezgoda
DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation
Junkersring 55
53844 Troisdorf, Germany
Phone: +49 2241 1203233
Mobile: +49 172 4177155
e-mail: markus.kueckelhaus@dhl.com
e-mail: d.niezgoda@dhl.com
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