The Whole Drone Package System Concept
Facts & Assumptions
| Drone Tote | Height | Width | Depth | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 12 cm | 15 cm | 26 cm | 1.5 kg (max 2.3 kg) |
Specs were estimated from looking at the Amazon Prime Air video since no real dimensions could be found, currently.[1]
Tote has an RFID tag located in bottom right corner of the tote on the front face.
Assumptions
- Drone has obstacle deflection capabilities.
The System
What it Looks like
Basically, our system consists of four parts, the landing platform on the roof, the chimney, the conveyor belts and the lockers. The landing platform will not be visible for most and it will not be very big or notable. It is a mostly flat structure which will be placed on the roof of the supermarket. The chimney will be visible for customers as it is located next to the lockers as seen in the picture. It will have a simple rectangular shape and can be covered by paint or/and posters. The lockers will be very similar to the amazon locker system, except the arrangement of the lockers will differ slightly as can be read in the Chimney to Cubby part. The conveyor system which gets the package to the right locker will be behind the lockers and is therefore not visible to customers.
The idea for our system is to make it modular. We will have predefined columns with big lockers, small lockers and lockers specific for drone delivered packages. When the system gets implemented in supermarkets, not every supermarket will need the same amount of lockers. There may be multiple supermarkets in the area with the same system which will require less lockers, or it could be the only one at a highly populated area. To make the system more flexible for these different situations we have decided to make it modular. More rows can be added at any time and will be relatively simple to implement.
How it Works
When a person orders a package that fits the requirements, it will be prepared for drone delivery at a Amazon location as seen in the video. Of course whether or not the package can be delivered at that moment depends on availability, weather and other details. But if it is possible, the user receives an email saying the package can be picked up at the nearest supermarket within an hour. The drone can find the drop point based on GPS coordinates, detailed information about this process can be found in the opening page. The drone will fly to the supermarket, where it arrives at the Opening. The drone will release the package, which will be taken into the system. The package will be moved into the chimney where its RFID tag is scanned. The system will now decide which locker will accept the package and it will send an email with the number of the locker and the unlock code to the person that ordered the package. The elevator will move to the right height and move the package to the conveyor belt. This is where the package will be again scanned using an RFID reader. The system will first open the backdoor of the locker where the package is supposed to go, then the conveyor belt will start moving. The package will slide into the locker after which the conveyor belt stops moving and the door closes. Inside the locker, the package will be scanned again to verify that it has arrived. The package is now ready for the pick-up.
The lockers have a control panel as seen in the image. Here, the user will enter the code from the email. The locker will now open, the user can take his package and close the door.
The lockers that are not used for drone delivery have their package delivered by regular mailmen. We do not know exactly how this system works but it already exists and is in use by Amazon. The pick-up is equal to the previously explained pick-up for packages delivered by drones.
- How a drone finds the system
- How a mailman has access
- How users have access
Location
Where should these pick-up points be placed. Why is this a logical choice. etc.
Who has access to these things. etc.
Now: Using Amazon lockers
today there are some locker systems already in use.
Amazon already has there own locker.
This locker is placed at locations which can be accessed 24 hours a day.
for example 7-Eleven, Amazon pays a small fee each month but Amazon and 7-Eleven wont tell what it is. article about amazon lockers
another article about amazon lockers
distance to supermarkets
In Holland the average distance to a supermarket is 0.9 Km. In big cities residents can choose from 3 major supermarkets within 1 kilometer. cbs statistics of supermarkets
In Eindhoven this distance is on average 0.7 Km, and the amount of supermarkets within 3 Km is 16.5 supermarkets. statistics Eindhoven
Picture of Eindhoven & its grocery store locations Explanation of who can be reached and why this is effective
Requirements Assessment
Green == addressed when designing this concept
Yellow == partially addressed when designing this concept and would need testing
No Fill == either external factors that why need consideration or requirements that cannot be assessed without further testing, which was not approachable in our time span
| Functional | Process | Product | External |
|---|---|---|---|
| The system should be able to accept a package from a drone. | The component should be able to identify the package & designate a cubby location. | The user must be able to use the system immediately without any problem by following indicated steps. | The delivery drones must be capable of moving to an exact location in x, y and z direction. |
| The system should have a holding space for package(s) | The system must be able to receive and handle a package within a minute, so a possible other drone waiting to deliver does not have to wait too long. | The system should communicate with the delivery drone to provide location information. | The delivery drones must have a Wifi Signal receiver to retrieve system location information |
| The system should be robust-withstand damage, break-ins debris etc. | The system should know when a package is on the platform and is clear to proceed. | The system should at all times only open the locker with the package for which the right code has been presented. | The delivery drones should be able to calculate approach and positioning |
| The system should be able to report status - malfunction, full, delivery etc. | The system should open the right locker(s) within ten seconds after verifying the code. | There must be a short manual on how to use the system, that can be hung next to the system. | |
| The system is allowed to be broken twice a year. It should then be repaired within 24 hours of the malfunctioning being reported. | There must be a guide on how to install the system. | ||
| The user should feel safe when using the system. | Help must be available all days between 9.00 and 18.00 | ||
| The user should feel their package is safe in the system. |
Further Issues to Consider
- taking the tote
- rules and regulations
- how many cubbies needed for an area
- how are packages (and totes) returned
- User safety
- RFID tag codation to distinguish between drone & package
References
- ↑ Allain, R.(2013).Physics of the Amazon Octocopter Drone.Wired Science Blogs.<http://www.wired.com/2013/12/physics-of-the-amazon-prime-air-drone/>