A Multi-Modality Mobility Concept for a Small Package Delivery UAV

Young, L. A.

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NASA NTRS · 20180002627

A Multi-Modality Mobility Concept for a Small Package Delivery UAV

Young, L. A.

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Abstract

This paper will discuss a different approach to the typical notional small package delivery drone concept. Most delivery drone concepts employ a point-to-point aerial delivery CONOPS (Concept of Operations) from a warehouse directly to the front or back yards of a customers residence or a commercial office space. Instead, the proposed approach is somewhat analogous to current postal deliveries: a small aerial vehicle flies from a warehouse to designated neighborhood VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) landing spots where the aerial vehicle then converts to a "roadable" (ground-mobility) vehicle that then transits on sidewalks and/or bicycle paths till it arrives to the residence/office drop-off points. This concept and associated platform or vehicle will be referred in this paper as MICHAEL (Multimodal Intra-City Hauling and Aerial-Effected Logistics) concept. It is suggested that the MICHAEL concept potentially results in a more community friendly "delivery drone" approach.

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Young, L. A.. 2017-01-24. A Multi-Modality Mobility Concept for a Small Package Delivery UAV. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20180002627

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