Going off-road used to mean tearing up dirt tracks in a powerful
four-by-four or gigantic monster truck. Now, the term has come to
comprise something more subtle and, potentially, revolutionary. FULL STORY
|
THE GATEWAY
Matternet envisions a future where
fleets of unmanned aerial vehicles (or drones) will help deliver
physical goods to rural areas far removed from road or highway networks.
(CNN) -- Going off-road used to mean tearing up dirt tracks in a powerful four-by-four or gigantic monster truck.
Matternet envisions a future where
fleets of unmanned aerial vehicles (or drones) will help deliver
physical goods to rural areas far removed from road or highway networks.
HIDE CAPTION
Going off-road
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Matternet and Aria are exploring the possibility of dense drone networks that could deliver goods to remote areas
- The idea is to connect regions or towns where roads are unreliable or do not reach
- Preliminary vehicle tests have already taken place in Haiti and the Dominican Republic
For two ambitious tech start-ups however, the term has come to comprise something more subtle and potentially revolutionary.
For the past 18 months Matternet and Aria
-- separate companies born out of the the same Silicon Valley incubator
-- have been working towards creating a roving network of automated
drones that will help connect rural and under-developed areas with
little access to existing road or highway systems.
While the idea may sound
far-fetched to those unfamiliar with the latest in civilian drone
technology, preliminary vehicle testing has already taken place.
"The easiest way to
describe what we are doing is to compare how mobile telephony has taken
off in the developing world," said Matternet founder and CEO, Andreas
Raptopoulos.
"(We want) to leapfrog
the traditional modes of transportation infrastructure in a similar way
and bring items through these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to people
who may otherwise be cut off or isolated," he added.
The easiest way to describe what we are doing is to compare how mobile telephony has taken-off in the developing world
Andreas Raptopolous, Matternet
Andreas Raptopolous, Matternet
A network of drones
The idea stems from when Raptopoulos led a research group including the company's three other co-founders at the Singularity University in Silicon Valley.
They envisioned employing a fleet of drones with a two kilogram payload capacity and a six mile flight-range.
These automated vehicles
would be complimented on the ground by a vast network of strategically
positioned hubs, enabling drones to recharge their batteries every few
miles before continuing to the next station (where the recharging
process is repeated) or final destination.
Control of the drones
and the assignment of packages for delivery would eventually be handled
by an automated operating system. Orders or requests could then be
placed and paid for by cell phone.
The potential
applications, Raptopoulos explained, include delivery of medicines to
disconnected areas, enabling farmers to supply products directly to
customers and providing vital materials to areas cut off by natural
disasters.
In the future, he adds, the concept could also be adapted to enhance the transport or distribution systems of large cities.
So far, Matternet have
reached the stage of conducting initial trials of "quadrocopter" drones,
which took place in Haiti and the Dominican Republic last year.
While happy with the
results, Raptopolous believes the concept needs more testing before
commercial or civilian deployment can be considered.
On the analogue internet you are still sending packages but these are physical
Arturo Pelayo, Aria
Arturo Pelayo, Aria
Internet of actual things
Meanwhile Aria
(Autonomous Roadless Intelligent Array) -- set up by students from the
same Singularity University class but concentrating more on developing
an open source system and ground network -- intends to develop an
autonomous aerial system to service this year's Burning Man festival in
Nevada.
According to Aria
co-founder, Arturo Pelayo, a hyper-connected UAV network creates the
possibility of a physical delivery system so dense and interconnected
that is in effect an "analogue internet."
"On the internet you
send digital packages. On the analogue internet you are still sending
packages but these are physical," he said.
"We see the opportunity
to create these very flexible networks serviced by these systems and
ground hubs (which could even be something as basic as a disused
shipping container) over very large areas," he added.
As the technology
develops further, Pelayo believes they will overcome the drones'
principle limitations -- namely the short distances they can travel and
small weight they are able to carry.
He also highlights cost benefits as a significant factor in making the technology attractive to potential users.
Counting the cost
Raptopolous agrees and
points to a case study carried out at the Singularity University of the
Maseru district in the tiny African kingdom of Lesotho, which put the
price of a network of 50 base-stations and 150 drones at just $900,000
-- comparing favorably against $1 million for a two kilometer, one-lane
road.
The idea of Matternet is not to replace systems where they work well but really to compliment them
Andreas Raptopolous, Matternet
Andreas Raptopolous, Matternet
But while enthusiastic
about these figures Raptopolous emphasizes that he doesn't see drones
replacing roads or highways any time soon.
Roads, after all, still carry the obvious benefit of being able to transport people and cater for much larger and heavier loads.
"The idea of Matternet is not to replace systems where they work well but really to compliment them," he said.
External factors such as
how small drones perform in bad weather, how they interact with other
aircraft as well as public perceptions of devices best known for their
operation in a military theater will also have to be overcome, he
admits.
On top of this, the fact
that drones could be adapted to transport illicit materials such as
drugs is also something that must be considered.
This is a point addressed by associate professor of aviation at the University of North Dakota, Ben Trapnell.
However, he noted that
while such networks could theoretically be abused in such a way it would
be foolish to disregard the "host of societal and economic benefits"
they could provide.
May 31, 2013 -- Updated 1714 GMT (0114 HKT)
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