• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Drone pracel delivery service to be tested in NUS campus

by Martha Soezean
02/09/2016
in Tech
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0

Artist’s impression of the multipropeller CityAirbus vehicle / image: Airbus Group

It was earlier reported in last February, that the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Airbus Helicopters, a division of Airbus, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to conduct Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) trials in Singapore.

The agreement is a collaboration between the two parties on the Skyways Experimentation Project, with a goal to develop an airborne infrastructure solution to address the sustainability and efficiency of parcel delivery business in large environments.

Airbus Helicopters and National University of Singapore (NUS) has since started on the planning and development of the first phase, making the establishment of a parcel stations network on NUS campus.

NUS had earlier posted on its Facebook that the research test for the future of urban mobility will prove a drone parcel delivery service on the campus in mid-2017; the Airbus Group also posted this in their Facebook.

For the pilot project, Airbus Helicopters is developing an autonomous drone and the overall infrastructure.

It will be based on an operation management system created by Airbus Defence and Space.

The goal of the project is to assess the efficiency and economic effectiveness of such a transport system and provide tangible proof to authorities and the general public that commercial drones can indeed operate safely over urban areas.

Bruno Trabel from Airbus Helicopters stated rightly that flying autonomous vehicles over urban areas is a challenge because no country in the world today allows drones without remote pilots to fly over cities – with or without passengers.

“If we want to resolve this fundamental question, we have to demonstrate the system under real conditions. This view is shared by CAAS,” said Trabel.

Singapore was chosen as the location in the Asian city-state because Airbus Helicopters will be able to develop the project in collaboration with the aviation authority.

If the team is successful in demonstrating the safe operation of Skyways over NUS, it could help shape the regulatory framework for unmanned aircraft system operations in Singapore and may increase approval for passenger flight testing.

UrbanMobility_pic5

If the pilot phase works it will give a boost to urban air vehicle projects and can become the start of commercial projects beginning in Singapore.

The aerial vehicle, with working title of CityAirbus, will resemble a small drone in its basic design, with multiple propellers.

At the start, it will be operated by a pilot – like in a helicopter – to make it possible for quick entry into the market.

Once regulations are in place, directly benefitting from Skyways and Vahana’s contribution, it will switch over to full autonomous operations.

AirBus claims that the feasibility study has already been finished, and the conclusion is promising.

At the moment, those in charge do not wish to reveal any further technical details.Nevertheless, Marius Bebesel, head of helicopter demonstrators at Airbus Helicopters, spoke on how CityAirbus would work in practice:

  • Customers will use an app to book a seat on a CityAirbus,
  • Then proceed to the nearest helipad, and climb aboard,
  • To be whisked away to their destination.

Several passengers will share the aircraft, and this sharing economy principle would make journeys in the CityAirbus affordable.

A flight would cost nearly the equivalent of a normal taxi ride for each passenger, but will be faster, more environmentally manageable and of course, exciting.

However, many questions are yet to be clarified:

  • How quiet would such an aerial vehicle be?
  • How safe?
  • How would the vehicles communicate with each other?
  • How can operators ensure that they will not be hacked?

“To answer these questions, we are relying on the expertise and support of the entire Airbus Group,” says Bebesel.

It sounds like science fiction to have a network of flying taxis, but the experts at Airbus Group believe that the vision is already beginning to form.

Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders supported this belief, and he said, “I’m no big fan of Star Wars, but it’s not crazy to imagine that one day our big cities will have flying cars making their way along roads in the sky.”

“In a not too distant future, we’ll use our smartphones to book a fully automated flying taxi that will land outside our front door – without any pilot,” he finished.

If the project is successful, the second phase is planned to cover the delivery of goods like essential medicine, oil samples, and electronic spare parts, send from a parcel station located at the Singapore coast to ships anchored at bay.

 

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

Rescuers battle cold as Turkey-Syria quake toll hits 5,000
AFP

Rescuers battle cold as Turkey-Syria quake toll hits 5,000

07/02/2023
Hazel Poa proposes singles be allowed to buy 3-room HDB flats
Housing

Hazel Poa proposes singles be allowed to buy 3-room HDB flats

07/02/2023
Jamus Lim: House prices are too High
Politics

Jamus Lim: House prices are too High

07/02/2023
Ministers get away with excuses that ordinary citizens cannot hope to get away with
Opinion

Ministers get away with excuses that ordinary citizens cannot hope to get away with

07/02/2023
Commemorative coin, exhibitions and various activities to mark 100th anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew’s birth
Singapore

Commemorative coin, exhibitions and various activities to mark 100th anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew’s birth

07/02/2023
国会内庆妇女节 女议员获赠鲜花
Labour

15 companies barred from hiring new foreign employees after serious safety lapse found at worksite

07/02/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Rescuers battle cold as Turkey-Syria quake toll hits 5,000

Rescuers battle cold as Turkey-Syria quake toll hits 5,000

07/02/2023
Hazel Poa proposes singles be allowed to buy 3-room HDB flats

Hazel Poa proposes singles be allowed to buy 3-room HDB flats

07/02/2023
Jamus Lim: House prices are too High

Jamus Lim: House prices are too High

07/02/2023
Ministers get away with excuses that ordinary citizens cannot hope to get away with

Ministers get away with excuses that ordinary citizens cannot hope to get away with

07/02/2023
Commemorative coin, exhibitions and various activities to mark 100th anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew’s birth

Commemorative coin, exhibitions and various activities to mark 100th anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew’s birth

07/02/2023
国会内庆妇女节 女议员获赠鲜花

15 companies barred from hiring new foreign employees after serious safety lapse found at worksite

07/02/2023
Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?

India’s Adani Enterprises shares rocket 20%, trading suspended

07/02/2023
China’s Baidu says developing AI chatbot

China’s Baidu says developing AI chatbot

07/02/2023

Trending posts

Cognizant India transfers staff to work in Singapore as recently as this year

Local IT grads can’t find jobs while engineers constantly transferred from India to work in SG under CECA

by Correspondent
05/02/2023
108

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
48

...

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

by Correspondent
03/02/2023
26

...

No response from Josephine Teo on whether Mediacorp has been instructed to stop coverage of SMT circulation scandal

No response from Josephine Teo over alleged blackout of coverage by Mediacorp over SMT circulation scandal

by Terry Xu
06/02/2023
12

...

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

Japanese-Canadian junior high school girl breaks national record with 3km in 9:02 mins

“I want my normal life back,” Sherry Drury withdraws from National Junior High School Tournament due to overheated public attention

by Yee Loon
06/02/2023
3

...

September 2016
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« Aug   Oct »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz