Unmanned Systems Technology 023 I Milrem Multiscope I Wireless charging I Logistics insight I InterGeo, CUAV London & USA show reports I VideoRay Defender I OS Engines GR400U-FI I Ultrabeam Hydrographic Ultra-2 I IMUs

49 Logistics | Insight or motor should break during flight, the other seven allow the system to make a controlled descent away from any crowds. Two battery packs are integrated for redundancy in the power source. “Designing in redundancies and maturing the technology through repeat testing are critical for paring down the probability of failure,” Jeoh notes. “These days, aerospace engineers consider 1 in 10 -7 – one failure in every 10 million hours – as the desired probability target, and we want Skyways to be commensurate with manned aircraft in that respect.” To that end, two trials have been prominent for Skyways’ development so far. The first, conducted in partnership with Singapore Post, involved delivering packages directly over the campus of the National University of Singapore. The second has focused on shore-to-ship deliveries from the city’s harbours, for which Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Wilhelmsen Ships Service in mid-2018. As per the MoU, the group has begun delivering spare parts, documents, water test kits and 3D-printed consumables from Singapore’s Marina South to ships moored up to 3 km away. The project aims to achieve turnaround times up to six times faster than typical boat deliveries, and is anticipated to lower shore-to-ship delivery costs by up to 90%. To further round out mission safety, Skyways integrates four autopilot systems for highly redundant flight control, with GNSS-INS for standard navigation and an RF-based system for precision landing in urban canyons, where GNSS signals may be subjected to multi-path reflections or blocked by skyscrapers. As Jeoh explains, “The landing system is called DeckFinder, and was originally developed at Airbus Defence & Space. It’s not GPS-dependent; it uses RF beacons – at least four – each of which transmits a particular frequency, and the UAV integrates a calculator to localise its position relative to the beacons based on the signals and timing. “GNSS is fine when you’re flying above city skylines like Singapore’s, but when it comes to landing at ground level, you absolutely need some secondary system.” Fellow aerospace giant Boeing is also continuing to develop its unmanned Cargo Air Vehicle (CAV) concept, the 339 kg prototype of which was unveiled in January 2018 to serve as a testbed for maturing core technologies for autonomous logistics. “We are exploring design concepts for the CAV, which is capable of carrying 250-500 lb, to open up new possibilities for transporting goods in various industries safely and efficiently,” says Troy Rutherford, senior director of the CAV programme at Boeing NeXt, the group’s r&d division for autonomous systems and advanced propulsion. “Possible customer segments and applications include logistics, construction, oil and gas, healthcare, maritime and agriculture,” he says. The CAV consists of a distributed electric propulsion system with 12 propellers arranged across six coaxial motor hubs in an ‘X-12’ configuration. Earlier in 2018 it successfully completed an initial round of aerodynamic testing inside the Boeing V/STOL wind tunnel in Pennsylvania, US, with additional flight testing planned for 2019. Future advances in technologies such as battery chemistries, hybrid-electric powertrains and fuel cells are expected to further the carrying capabilities and endurances of UAVs conducting deliveries throughout entire logistics chains. Unmanned Systems Technology | December/January 2019 The Cargo Air Vehicle from Boeing is being designed to carry packages for logistics operations across a range of industries (Courtesy of Boeing)