The role of drones in logistics
The future of drones in the logistics sector.
Logistics, always seeking reinvention, hopes to fulfill this old science-fiction fantasy: delivering parcels through the air from one point to another, in complete safety, ideally with minimal human intervention. No more traffic jams or endless trips on remote and uncertain roads...
To gauge this interest, look at the successive announcements from Amazon: Le Figaro article (December 16, 2016), and closely observe a more discreet leader, La Poste, which has successfully implemented two interesting and sustainable trials Journal du geek.com (November 11, 2019).
Yet, the challenges associated with carrying payloads are numerous: piloting, navigation and safety, lift capacity, energy or operational autonomy, etc.
The drone, a multi-capability carrier
Drones inherit from military aeronautical expertise. Initially used for observation purposes, they are now integrated by armed forces into programs designed to leverage their payload capacities.
The technical challenge remains the same, and current solutions are still imperfect:
How to optimize payload, flight duration, and range simultaneously
?
Undoubtedly more than for other activities, autonomy in the broad sense is an imperative for logistics.
By autonomy, we mean the physical autonomy of the aircraft (motorization, energy) as well as autonomous navigation (which will allow pre-established flight plans to industrialize repetitive routes in stable environments).
In the civil sector, transported payloads are generally 2 to 3 kg, although several projects aim to carry a payload of 25 kilograms. The example of the trial by La Poste involves 3 kilograms transported over thirty kilometers or so.
Miniaturization and motorization, essential for maximizing drone payload, have benefited from technological booms in electronics and computing. However, the plateau of progress has not yet been reached.
Telecommunications, a key dimensioning factor
Satellite, radio, and GPS links are currently operational, but these technologies still present major limitations: dead zones, low data rates, short range, and open heterogeneous systems that can present significant security vulnerabilities.
The cards could be reshuffled with the arrival of 5G: high data rates, better coverage (5G requires fewer antennas to deploy than other networks), etc. These advancements parallel those of autonomous cars, from which drones could indirectly benefit.
Telecommunications are also essential to the development of logistics (Industry 4.0). The production chain will be automated from end to end: from online ordering to tailored field delivery. The drone must then act as a link in this digital chain using real-time geofencing tools.
Artificial intelligence, an essential technology for autonomous navigation monitored by an operational center
Recently, a speed competition pitted a world-champion drone pilot against an AI-piloted drone (Futura-sciences.com article (December 10, 2019).
The human champion won by a wide margin, but the AI performed well. This trial echoes the human versus machine chess matches that machines eventually won. Sooner or later, an AI will outperform humans on a standard route, which is promising for logistics.
Announcements like Uber Eats and others (futura-sciences.com article (September 3, 2018) can no longer be seen as a pipe dream, even if, in practice, industry players will focus on more pragmatic goals (delivery to pickup points rather than last-mile delivery). Indeed, targeting a geographical coordinate is one thing; home delivery is another.
Currently, trials are restricted to mostly uninhabited areas, using small landing pads that serve as rally points. However, there is no shortage of innovative ideas, such as Amazon's beehives, which may influence tomorrow's architecture and urban planning.
But are French consumers ready?
Consumers and businesses are quite receptive to this new delivery method, driven by digital transformation. However, the safety of this new mode of transport is often questioned.
This view is shared by regulatory bodies (DGAC), which are cautious about liberalizing airspace in a heightened security context. Authorizing the first trial by La Poste took two years.
Drones assigned to the logistics sector face two specific hurdles: (i) naturally, they must approach inhabited areas, and (ii) given the regular nature of traffic on a route, making them autonomous is particularly valuable.
It is worth noting, however, that numerous trials have been launched worldwide: Rakuten in Japan for the Olympic Games, UPS in the United States for hospitals, Amazon Prime Air in the United Kingdom, Google Project Wing in Australia and the US with NASA and the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), etc.
Technology and regulation will likely overcome all barriers related to this use case, paving the way for widespread B2B and B2C operations.
