Strategic Deployment of Drone Centers and Fleet Size Planning for Drone Delivery in Utah

The research project produces a statewide airspace network, delivery schedule, and truck/drone fleet mix. Such an airspace network is optimized to ensure that drones are strategically deconflicted as required by NASA and the total energy over that day is minimized. Such an airspace network is realized in a web-based platform named the Utah Advanced Air Mobility Simulator (UAAMS). The UAAMS enables researchers, planners, and practitioners to record and update assumptions about the distribution of vertiports, traffic, population, and other requirements that may affect the operation of the transportation network. These parameters are important not only for considering the feasibility of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) package delivery within the state, but also for determining the impact and ultimately the efficient operation of drone delivery. The UAAMS allows UDOT to assess different assumptions of the model and run "what-if" scenarios by generating animation of the optimized airspace network. The platform provides the state with more clarity about the energy impacts of large-scale drone delivery as well as a viable airspace network. The tool can further inform the UDOT Division of Aeronautics to develop policies and negotiate with industry stakeholders.

• Record URL:
  https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=1154
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/74159
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Utah, Salt Lake City

  Salt Lake City, UT  United States 

  Mountain-Plains Consortium

  North Dakota State University
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Utah Department of Transportation

  Salt Lake City, UT  United States 
• Authors:
  • Sacharny, David
  • Liu, Xiaoyue Cathy
• Publication Date: 2024-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 43p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airspace utilization; Delivery service; Drones; Energy consumption; Simulation; Trucks
• Geographic Terms: Utah
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Energy; Freight Transportation; Motor Carriers; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01915287
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MPC-24-512
• Contract Numbers: MPC-636
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 17 2024 9:29AM