Drone-based delivery system

Abstract

To provide a mechanism for delivering packages between upper and lower floors of a building using unmanned aerial vehicles.SOLUTION: A delivery system includes management means for managing package delivery between upper and lower floors using unmanned aerial vehicles within a multi-story building with an atrium, and is characterized in that the number of the unmanned aerial vehicles used for the package delivery is determined based on at least one of the structure of the building, the specifications of the unmanned aerial vehicles, and the number of delivery requests per unit time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a delivery system using drones. [Background technology]

[0002] As a document disclosing the background art of this technology, there is Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-507075 (Patent Document 1). This publication states, "This disclosure relates to a multi-level (ML) distribution center designed to accommodate the takeoff and landing of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The distribution center may be located in urban areas and / or other densely populated urban areas. Unlike conventional distribution centers, an ML distribution center may include multiple levels (e.g., floors, levels, etc.) as permitted by the zoning regulations of each area. The distribution center may have one or more landing positions and one or more maneuvering positions for accommodating UAVs that may deliver at least a portion of the goods from the distribution center to customer-related locations." (See paragraph

[0006] ). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2019-507075 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] Patent Document 1, mentioned above, describes a distribution center. This distribution center has multiple floors and is designed to accommodate the takeoff and landing of UAVs. However, this distribution center is merely a base for shipping packages, not a facility for receiving shipped packages. Therefore, Patent Document 1 does not envision a system that completes both shipping and receiving packages within a single building. This invention has been made in view of these circumstances and provides a mechanism for delivering goods between upper and lower floors of a building using an unmanned aerial vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To solve the above problems, for example, the configuration described in the claims is adopted. The present invention includes several means for solving the above-mentioned problems, but one example is a delivery system having a management means for managing the delivery of goods between upper and lower floors using unmanned aerial vehicles in a multi-story building with an atrium, wherein the number of unmanned aerial vehicles used for delivering goods is determined based on at least one of the following: the structure of the building, the specifications of the unmanned aerial vehicles, and the number of delivery requests per unit time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, a system can be provided for delivering packages between upper and lower floors of a building using an unmanned aerial vehicle. Other issues, configurations, and effects not mentioned above will be clarified by the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a schematic example of an automated delivery system in a high-rise building. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of simulation results for a drone-based delivery system. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of delivery waiting times based on the request rate per household and the number of operational drones D. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of simulation results for an elevator-based delivery system. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows examples of the differences in average waiting time and power consumption per package under each condition. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is an example of a floor plan of the Xth floor of a building. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an example of a floor plan of the X+1 floor of building 600. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is an example of a longitudinal sectional view of building 600. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an example of a plan view of the first floor of building 600. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an example of a plan view of the (X + 1)-th floor of building 600. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 shows a configuration example of the management device.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Before describing the embodiments of the present invention, the research results on which the present embodiments are based will be described.

[0009] 1. Research on Drone Delivery System The purpose of this research is to study and evaluate a new concept of delivering goods from the first floor to high floors in high-rise residential buildings or commercial buildings using drone technology. Although extensive research has been conducted on deliveries between geographically separated locations, theoretical research on vertical transportation within a single location is very limited. The inventor of the present application has considered an on-demand drone delivery system for a single building. For example, in a high-rise residential building where thousands of residents frequently need to pick up mail and packages from the mail post on the first floor, it takes time and is energy-inefficient to descend (or ascend from the first floor) to the first floor by elevator. By introducing drone delivery in such a situation, an improvement in efficiency and convenience can be expected. Residents can directly receive goods on the balcony or at a designated drone port, and the delivery process is greatly rationalized.

[0010] This study aims to theoretically evaluate the performance of drone delivery within high-rise buildings and assess the feasibility of this approach using a simple model. The inventors considered the number of drones required to meet the probabilistic demand from each floor, and compared the time and power consumption of drone delivery with that of conventional elevator delivery to determine the conditions under which drone delivery is advantageous. Furthermore, this study reports on the transportation characteristics of drone delivery compared to elevator-based delivery.

[0011] 1.1 Method 1.1.1 Drone Delivery Model This study proposes a drone delivery system using D drones to operate from the ground floor to the desired floor. The building has F+1 floors, with M households residing on each floor. The height of the first floor is h meters, and the height of the f floor is hf meters. Delivery to the first floor (f=0) is not considered. Each household on the f floor (f≧1) generates a delivery request at a rate of λ requests per second based on a Poisson process.

[0012] When a request arrives, the system assigns a drone using a first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. The drone transports the goods from the first floor to the designated floor. Each drone completes only one request per flight. The drone selected for a task is the one that can respond most quickly at that time (after completing any existing requests in the queue).

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an automated delivery system in a high-rise building. The drone-based delivery workflow in Figure 1(a) shows the sequence from customer request to unloading (including drone ascent, detachment, and descent) and waiting for battery replacement. The elevator-based delivery system in Figure 1(b) shows the process from customer request to loading of goods, transport in elevator, unloading at the designated floor, and return of the elevator.

[0014] The time it takes to attach the cargo to the drone and to detach it from the drone is measured in terms of t ,

[0018] , and t detach Let them be. The ascending speed and descending speed of the drone are v asc and v des Let them be. The drone operates with a battery that is replaced after the flight time represented by t service , and let the battery replacement period be t swapping Let it be. When the cumulative flight time of the drone since the previous battery replacement exceeds t service , during the battery replacement period, the drone becomes temporarily unavailable. Note that the horizontal movement of the drone is not considered. The horizontal movement is considered negligible compared to the vertical movement.

[0015] 1.1.2 Elevator Delivery Model Similar to drone delivery, the elevator delivery model transports goods from the first floor to various floors in response to requests. In this study, a single elevator is used for simplicity. A characteristic function is that multiple pieces of luggage can be loaded simultaneously on the first floor. The ascending speed and descending speed of the elevator are v asc,e and v des,e Let them be.

[0016] The elevator operates in sequence, delivers to the requested floors in ascending order, and then returns to the first floor. Let the time taken for each floor stop, including door operation, acceleration / deceleration, and luggage handling, be t halt Let it be.

[0017] When the elevator arrives at the destination floor, the luggage is placed in the delivery box adjacent to the door exit. Assuming that effective sorting is performed during the movement of the elevator, the time for placing the luggage is assumed to be constant regardless of the number of luggage per floor. When returning to the ground floor, if a new request is received during the last round trip, the elevator immediately loads the luggage corresponding to all such requests and then proceeds with the subsequent delivery. The loading time is incorporated into t halt (f = 0). Assume that a cart pre-loaded with luggage is prepared on the first floor to facilitate the loading process.

[0018] 1.2 Results 1.2.1 Drone-based delivery system 1.2.1.1 Number of drones In this system, the dynamics typically conform to the M / G / c queuing model. A notable feature of this model is that the queue diverges and becomes unmanageable when the request rate exceeds the effective service rate. The inventors performed an approximate analysis to estimate the number of drones required.

[0019] First, the inventors calculated the time required for one flight. Assuming a scenario in which a sufficient number of requests are received, the drone's operational rate is t service / (t service +t swapping It is expressed as follows. Furthermore, the average flight time is estimated as follows:

number

number

number

[0020] From this inequality, we can determine the minimum number of drones D required for a given service rate. min This is derived.

number

[0021] Furthermore, the maximum permissible request rate is determined for a predetermined number of drones.

number

[0022] 1.2.1.2 Simulation The inventor of this application performed a numerical simulation using the Monte Carlo method with the following parameters. F=50, M=10, h=3 m, v attach =10 s, v detach =10 s, v asc =3 m / s, v des = 2 m / s, t service =1080 s, t swapping = 60 s. These parameters are based on the specifications of the drone model (PF2-AE Delivery, sold by ACSL Ltd.). The inventors varied the request rate λ and evaluated its impact on average waiting time (from request generation to package delivery), the number of battery changes, and the drone's uptime (time spent in active operation).

[0023] Figure 2 shows the simulation results of a drone-based delivery system. Figure 2(a) shows the average waiting time to delivery based on the request rate per household. Figure 2(b) shows the total number of battery replacements required. Figure 2(c) shows the drone utilization rate. The dashed line shows the maximum feasible request rate estimated by equation (3).

[0024] Figure 2(a) shows that latency increases sharply when the request rate exceeds a certain threshold. This threshold increases with the number of drones. Equation (3), derived from approximate calculations, provides an accurate prediction of this behavior.

[0025] When the request rate exceeded λmax, demand surpassed the drone's service capacity, leading to saturation in terms of the number of battery replacements (Figure 2(b)) and operational rate (Figure 2(c)).

[0026] Figure 3 shows delivery wait times based on the request rate per household and the number of operational drones D. The dashed line represents the minimum number of drones required to handle the demand estimated by equation (2).

[0027] Figure 3 shows the average waiting time for various drone numbers D and request rates. In this figure, the minimum number of drones required calculated by equation (2) is shown by a dashed line, demonstrating the accuracy of the inventor's prediction.

[0028] 1.2.2 Comparison with elevator delivery 1.2.2.1 Basic characteristics Next, we examine the transportation characteristics of delivery using elevators. Figure 4 shows the average waiting time, the number of elevator trips (the number of times a package is loaded on the first floor and one delivery cycle is completed), and the utilization rate for various request rates. As an example, a typical elevator (VFI-1350-CO90, Hitachi, Ltd., Japan) was used with the following settings. v asc,e = 1.5 m / s, v des,e = 1.5 m / s, t halt =20 s.

[0029] Figure 4 shows the simulation results of an elevator-based delivery system. Figure 4(a) shows the average waiting time for delivery according to the request rate for each household. Figure 4(b) shows the number of round trips. The dashed line shows the number of round trips under high demand constraints estimated by equation (4). Figure 4(c) shows the utilization rate (%) of the elevator system.

[0030] A major difference from drone delivery is that waiting times do not diverge even at high request rates (Figure 4(a)). This is because elevators can carry multiple packages at once, and because the elevator capacity is assumed to be sufficiently large for the expected conditions. When the request rate is sufficiently high, the elevator stops at each floor, and the waiting time converges to a constant value.

[0031] There is a peak in the number of moves. When the request rate is low, the number of moves increases in proportion to the request rate. In contrast, beyond a certain threshold, the time per move increases significantly, and the number of moves decreases sharply. Under these constraints, the number of moves that can be completed within a time frame T is estimated as follows:

number

[0032] The utilization rate increases rapidly in response to demand and nearly saturates when the maximum number of trips is reached (Figure 4(c)).

[0033] 1.2.2.2 Drone delivery vs. elevator delivery The results of this study demonstrate that the transportation characteristics of drone delivery and elevator delivery differ significantly. Here, we will explain the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Figure 5 shows the difference in average waiting time and power consumption per package under each condition. Power consumption was calculated based on the typical battery capacity of the drone (24000 mAh, 22.2 V; ACSL Ltd. (2023)) and the rated power of the elevator (13 kWh; Hitachi, Ltd. (2019)). It was also assumed that power consumption was unaffected by the size and weight of the transported package.

[0034] Figure 5 shows the effectiveness of a drone-based delivery system compared to an elevator-based delivery system. Figure 5(a) shows the difference in waiting times between drone delivery and elevator delivery. The area marked "Time effective" in this figure is where drone delivery outperforms elevator delivery. Figure 5(b) shows the difference in power consumption. The area marked "Power effective" in this figure is where the drone's energy efficiency is high. The vertical dashed lines indicating the boundaries were calculated from the simulation results. Figure 5(c) is an overall effectiveness map combining time and power indicators. This map distinguishes zones where the use of the drone delivery system is effective in terms of time and power consumption.

[0035] First, regarding the average waiting time, the number of drones is D min When the volume is sufficiently large, drone delivery is superior (Figure 5(a)). Elevator delivery is at a disadvantage because travel time increases significantly when the request rate is relatively low. However, it has the advantage of being able to deliver within a certain waiting time even in the worst-case scenario.

[0036] From a power consumption perspective (Figure 5(b)), drone delivery is advantageous until the request rate exceeds a certain value (≒0.66 / h / household). This is because elevator delivery incurs additional losses when moving the elevator itself, even for a single request. In contrast, once the request rate exceeds the threshold, the power consumption per package by the elevator decreases.

[0037] Figure 5(c) summarizes these characteristics in a map. Four results were obtained in a 2x2 matrix regarding which method is more advantageous in terms of waiting time and power consumption. The inventors confirmed the usefulness of this delivery method due to the existence of areas where drone delivery is advantageous in both aspects (indicated as "Time / Power effective"). However, if the request rate is too high, the usefulness of elevators becomes significant. Note that in the "Power effective" region of Figure 5(c), waiting times diverge, making drone delivery impractical.

[0038] 1.3 Conclusion The inventors proposed a concept of using drones to deliver goods from the ground floor to each floor and explored how to address various levels of demand. As a result, it was demonstrated that drone-based delivery is efficient in terms of time and power consumption up to a certain level of demand. The required number of drones and the maximum demand that can be handled were calculated using approximation theory. Drone delivery offered advantages over conventional elevator-based delivery in terms of waiting time and power consumption in certain situations.

[0039] 2. Examples Based on the above research results, embodiments of the present invention will be described. 2.1 Background Logistics within high-rise buildings, including tower condominiums, are based on the assumption that goods will be transported by people using elevators and stairs. Alternatively, vertical conveyors can be installed, but their height is limited to 30 meters.

[0040] In addition, technology is being developed for automated guided vehicles to autonomously transport goods between floors using elevators. Furthermore, while drone technology is being considered for delivery centers, a technology that allows for the entire process of sending and receiving goods within the narrow, enclosed spaces of a building has not yet been envisioned.

[0041] 2.2 Challenges To meet the on-demand logistics needs within large, high-rise buildings, and to complete the sending and receiving of packages within the building with minimal waiting time, the following challenges exist: (1) Technology has not yet been established to safely fly as few drones as possible simultaneously in the smallest possible enclosed space. (2) The algorithm for designing the optimal mechanisms on the building side and the aircraft side necessary to achieve the above is unknown. (3) In buildings that may be in non-GNSS (global navigation satellite system) environments, there is insufficient floor height on each floor for safe takeoffs and landings.

[0042] 2.3 Solution (1) Optimal flight paths to avoid interference, the structure and specifications of takeoff and landing ports, and algorithms for making these decisions. (2) Building-side monitoring technology to ensure stable flight and takeoff / landing in non-GNSS environments (3) Operational techniques to minimize aircraft idling time

[0043] 2.4 Effects From an economic rationality standpoint, the optimal structure and specifications of the building and drone set enable in-building logistics using drones, which were not included in conventional high-rise buildings.

[0044] 2.5 Configuration First, let me explain the building's structure. As an example, the envisioned building is 50 stories tall, intended for residential use, with 10 households per floor for a total of 500 households, a building height of 200m, and a floor height of 4m per floor. The central part of the building's floor plan will be an open atrium extending from the first floor to the top floor (hereinafter also referred to as the "flight path"), and the top floor will be covered with a net to prevent objects from entering from the outside.

[0045] Figure 6 is an example of a floor plan of the Xth floor of a building (where "X" is any integer greater than or equal to 2). The building 600 shown in the figure has a rectangular atrium 601. A common corridor 602 is located around the atrium 601. Dwelling units are located around the common corridor 602, but their depiction is omitted in Figure 6.

[0046] Within the atrium 601, a pair of receiving ports 603A and 603B (hereinafter collectively referred to as "603") are installed, positioned diagonally across the atrium in a plan view. This pair of receiving ports 603 serves as a drone landing and takeoff area. By arranging the receiving ports 603 diagonally, a wide flight space for drones can be secured. This receiving port 603 constitutes the delivery system according to this embodiment.

[0047] For example, the specifications of the drone are as follows: The drone consists of 5 units, with a total length (propeller span) of 1,173 mm, a height of 526 mm, a weight (including 2 batteries) of 8.3 kg, a flight speed (during fully autonomous flight) of 3 m / s for ascent and 2 m / s for descent, a maximum payload of 1.5 kg, a maximum flight time of 18 minutes (with a 1.5 kg payload), a payload attachment / detachment time of 10 seconds, a battery replacement time of 10 seconds, and a battery capacity of 12,000 mAh x 2.

[0048] Each of the above receiving ports 603 has a roughly square shape, with the length of one side being twice the dimensions of the aircraft. Receiving port 603A is located on the rear side of building 600, and receiving port 603B is located on the front side of building 600.

[0049] The dimensions of the atrium 601 are the dimensions necessary for the ascending aircraft 604 and the descending aircraft 605 to pass each other safely. The required dimensions are calculated from the aircraft dimensions and the clearance distance. In the example shown in Figure 6, the aircraft dimensions are assumed to be 2m and the clearance distance 3m. In the same example, the distance between the centers of the aircraft is assumed to be 4m. Based on these values, the distance between the center of the aircraft and the corner of the atrium 601 is assumed to be 4+3√2m. In addition, the length of the atrium 601 in the longitudinal direction is assumed to be 4+(4+3√2) / √2*2=4+4√2+6=15.6m, and the length in the transverse direction is assumed to be 4√2+6=11.6m.

[0050] Figure 7 is an example of a floor plan of the X+1 floor of building 600 (where "X" is any integer greater than or equal to 2). As mentioned above, building 600, shown in the figure, has an atrium 601. A common corridor 701 is located around the atrium 601. Dwelling units are located around the common corridor 701, but their depiction is omitted in Figure 7.

[0051] Within the atrium 601, a pair of receiving ports 702A and 702B (hereinafter collectively referred to as "702") are installed, positioned diagonally across the atrium in a plan view. This pair of receiving ports 702 serves as a drone landing and takeoff area. By arranging the receiving ports 702 diagonally, a wide flight space for drones can be secured. This receiving port 702 constitutes the delivery system according to this embodiment.

[0052] Each receiving port 702 has a roughly square shape, with the length of one side being twice the dimensions of the aircraft. Receiving port 702A is located on the front side of building 600, and receiving port 702B is located on the rear side of building 600. Arrows 703 and 704 in Figure 7 indicate the entry and exit routes of the drone to and from receiving port 702.

[0053] Figure 8 is an example of a longitudinal section of building 600. As mentioned above, building 600 has an atrium 601. Common corridors 602 and 701 and individual dwelling units are arranged around the atrium 601, but these are omitted from the illustration in Figure 8.

[0054] In the atrium 601, a pair of receiving ports 603 or 702 are installed on each floor. In the example in Figure 8, on the X-2 floor (where "X" is any integer greater than or equal to 2), the X floor, and the X+2 floor, receiving port 603A is installed on the back side of the building 600, and receiving port 603B is installed on the front side of the building 600. In contrast, on the X-1 floor and the X+1 floor, receiving port 702A is installed on the front side of the building 600, and receiving port 603B is installed on the back side of the building 600.

[0055] In this way, by installing receiving ports 603 and 702 between adjacent upper and lower floors so that they do not overlap in a plan view, the necessary height for drone takeoff and landing can be secured. In the example in Figure 8, 8m is assumed to be the necessary height for drone takeoff and landing.

[0056] In the example shown in the diagram, the aircraft height is assumed to be 1m, the vertical separation distance is 3m, and the height of the receiving ports 603 and 702 is assumed to be 0.5m.

[0057] Figure 9 is an example of a floor plan of the first floor of building 600. As mentioned above, building 600, shown in the figure, has an atrium 601. A common corridor 901 is located around the atrium 601. Individual dwelling units are located around the common corridor 901, but these are omitted from the illustration in Figure 9.

[0058] The common corridor 901 is equipped with a luggage storage area 902 for storing luggage, a luggage attachment area 903 for attaching luggage to drones (which may also be used as a shop), and a charging and waiting area 904 for charging and waiting for drones.

[0059] In the building 600 described above, drones are assigned to each floor according to the FIFO (First In, First Out) principle to handle delivery demands that arise in real time, and each request is processed accordingly. When the battery level falls below a certain point, it is replaced with a fully charged battery.

[0060] 3. Application Examples An example of the application of the above embodiment will be described. 3.1 Storage location A system may be implemented to automatically detach and store packages if the landing time at each receiving port on each floor exceeds a certain limit. In this case, the storage location would likely be a box-shaped container, such as a delivery box, or simply a space.

[0061] Figure 10 is an example of a floor plan of the X+1 floor of building 600 (where "X" is any integer greater than or equal to 2). Compared to the floor plan shown in Figure 7, this floor plan includes a delivery locker 1001 and a temporary storage space 1002. Both are located within the common corridor 701, extending in the left-right direction. The delivery locker 1001 is located on the rear side of building 600, and the temporary storage space 1002 is located on the front side of building 600.

[0062] 3.2 Automation of drone management A system may be implemented to automate the entire process, including storing luggage on the first floor, setting up luggage for the drone, retrieving the drone, and charging it.

[0063] 3.3 Shipping direction of packages Shipping packages can be done in two directions, rather than one, meaning that packages are shipped after they have been received.

[0064] 3.4 Optimization Algorithm for In-House Logistics You may design and use an algorithm to optimize in-building logistics in combination with elevators. Possible algorithms include the following: (1) If demand is below a certain level, deliveries will be made by drone, which is advantageous in terms of power consumption and delivery time. (2) If multiple requests for the same floor occur at the same time, delivery will be made by elevator. (3) If the volume of requests exceeds what can be handled by drones alone, deliveries will generally be made by elevator, but drones will be used for urgent requests. The following describes the management device that executes this algorithm.

[0065] Figure 11 shows an example of the configuration of the management device. The management device 1100 shown in the figure is a means for managing the delivery of goods between floors using drones (in other words, unmanned aerial vehicles) within a multi-story building 600 with an atrium. This management device 1100 constitutes the delivery system according to this embodiment.

[0066] The management device 1100 may be a mobile device such as a smartphone, tablet, mobile phone, or personal digital assistant (PDA), or it may be a wearable device such as glasses, a wristwatch, or clothing. The management device 1100 may also be a stationary or portable computer, or a server located in the cloud or on a network. Functionally, the management device 1100 may be a VR (Virtual Reality) terminal, an AR (Augmented Reality) terminal, or an MR (Mixed Reality) terminal. Alternatively, it may be a combination of multiple such terminals. For example, a combination of one smartphone and one wearable device can logically function as a single terminal. Other information processing terminals may also be used.

[0067] The management device 1100 includes a processor 1103 that runs the operating system, applications, and programs; a main memory 1101 such as RAM (Random Access Memory); an auxiliary storage device 1102 such as an IC card, hard disk drive, SSD (Solid State Drive), and flash memory; a communication control unit 1106 such as a network card, wireless communication module, and mobile communication module; an input device 1104 such as a touch panel, keyboard, mouse, pen input, voice input, and motion detection input from a camera; and an output device 1105 such as a monitor or display. The output device 1105 may also be a device or terminal that transmits information for output to an external monitor, display, printer, or other device.

[0068] The main memory 1101 stores various programs and applications (modules), and the processor 1103 executes these programs and applications to realize each functional element of the overall system. These modules may be implemented in hardware, such as through integration. Furthermore, each module may be an independent program or application, or it may be implemented as a subprogram or function within a single integrated program or application.

[0069] In this specification, each module is described as the entity (subject) that performs the processing, but in reality, the processor 1103 that processes various programs and applications (modules) executes the processing.

[0070] The auxiliary storage device 1102 stores various databases (DBs). A "database" is a functional element (storage unit) that stores a data set so that it can handle any data operations (e.g., extraction, addition, deletion, overwriting, etc.) from the processor 203 or an external computer. The implementation method of the database is not limited; for example, it may be a database management system, spreadsheet software, or text files such as XML or JSON.

[0071] The main memory 1101 of the management device 1100 stores programs and applications such as the request reception module 1111 and the decision module 1112. The processor 1103 executes these programs and applications to realize each functional element of the management device 1100. Each module will be described below.

[0072] The request receiving module 1111 receives requests for package delivery. Delivery requests may be received via the input device 1104 or via a network from other information processing devices. For example, if there is a convenience store on the first floor of building 600, the delivery request may be entered by a convenience store employee who receives an online order from a resident. Alternatively, it may be entered by a delivery company that delivers a package to a resident of building 600.

[0073] The determination module 1112 receives a delivery request for a package and determines the delivery method for that package. Specifically, if the number of delivery requests per unit time exceeds a predetermined value, the module controls the delivery to use the elevator in building 600 instead of a drone. This control involves displaying a message on the display instructing the delivery person to use the elevator. Upon seeing this message, the delivery person will use the elevator to deliver the package.

[0074] On the other hand, the module controls the system to deliver packages using drones if the number of delivery requests per unit time is below a predetermined value. This control involves displaying a message on the screen guiding the delivery person to use a drone. Upon seeing this message, the delivery person will use a drone to deliver the packages. Specifically, the delivery person will attach the packages to the drone and fly the drone to the delivery destination floor.

[0075] The predetermined value used by the module for the above determination is determined using formula (3) above. That is, the predetermined value is determined based on the structure of building 600, the specifications of the drone, and the number of drones.

[0076] The structure of Building 600 as referred to here includes the number of floors, the floor height of Building 600, and the number of households on each floor (in other words, the number of dwelling units on each floor). Drone specifications include the drone's ascent speed, drone's descent speed, time to attach payload to the drone, time to remove payload from the drone, time to change the drone's battery, and the flight time the drone can fly on a single battery change.

[0077] Furthermore, the judgment module 1112 controls the system to use the elevators in building 600 instead of drones to deliver packages if multiple delivery requests are received from the same floor within a predetermined time. This control involves displaying a message on the display guiding the delivery person to use the elevator. Upon seeing this message, the delivery person will use the elevator to deliver the packages.

[0078] On the other hand, if no multiple delivery requests are made from the same floor within a specified time, the module controls the system to deliver packages using drones. This control involves displaying a message on the screen guiding the delivery person to use a drone. Upon seeing this message, the delivery person will deliver the packages using a drone.

[0079] Furthermore, even if the number of delivery requests per unit time exceeds the predetermined value mentioned above, the judgment module 1112 controls the delivery of packages using drones instead of elevators in building 600 if the urgency of the delivery request meets predetermined conditions. This control involves displaying a message on the display guiding the delivery person to use drones for delivery. Upon seeing this message, the delivery person will use drones to deliver the packages.

[0080] Next, the auxiliary storage device 1102 will be described. The delivery request data 1121 is stored in the auxiliary storage device 1102.

[0081] According to the management device 1100 described above, if demand is below a certain level, delivery will be made by drone, which is advantageous in terms of power consumption and delivery time. If multiple requests for the same floor occur at the same time, delivery will be made by elevator, which is also advantageous in terms of power consumption and delivery time. Furthermore, if the volume of requests exceeds what drones can handle, delivery will basically be made by elevator, but drones will be used for urgent requests. In this way, the management device 1100 optimizes in-building logistics.

[0082] 3.5 Number of drones The minimum number of drones to be used within building 600 may be determined using equation (2) above. That is, the minimum number of drones may be determined based on the structure of building 600, the specifications of the drones, and the number of delivery requests per unit time.

[0083] The structure of Building 600 as referred to here includes the number of floors, the floor height of Building 600, and the number of households on each floor (in other words, the number of dwelling units on each floor). Drone specifications include the drone's ascent speed, drone's descent speed, time to attach payload to the drone, time to remove payload from the drone, time to change the drone's battery, and the flight time the drone can fly on a single battery change.

[0084] 3.6 Dimensions of the flight path The flight path area can be made larger, and multiple ascent and descent paths may be provided.

[0085] 4. Variations The above embodiments or applications may be modified as follows. The following modifications may be combined with each other.

[0086] 4.1 Omission of Variables The predetermined value used by the judgment module 1112 for judgment is determined using equation (3) as described above. However, not all variables are necessarily considered. One or more variables that make up equation (3) may be omitted.

[0087] In other words, the predetermined value may be determined based on at least one of the following: the structure of the building 600, the specifications of the drone, or the number of drones. The structure of building 600 as used herein may include at least one of the following: the number of floors of building 600, the height of the floors of building 600, or the number of households on each floor. Furthermore, the specifications of the drone may include at least one of the following: the drone's ascent speed, the drone's descent speed, the time it takes to attach the load to the drone, the time it takes to remove the load from the drone, the time it takes to change the drone's battery, and the flight time the drone can operate on a single battery change.

[0088] The minimum number of drones to be used within building 600 is determined using equation (2) as described above. However, not all variables are necessarily considered. One or more variables from the variables that make up equation (2) may be omitted.

[0089] In other words, the minimum number of drones may be determined based on at least one of the following: the structure of the 600 buildings, the specifications of the drones, or the number of delivery requests per unit time. The structure of building 600 as used herein may include at least one of the following: the number of floors of building 600, the height of the floors of building 600, or the number of households on each floor. Furthermore, the specifications of the drone may include at least one of the following: the drone's ascent speed, the drone's descent speed, the time it takes to attach the load to the drone, the time it takes to remove the load from the drone, the time it takes to change the drone's battery, and the flight time the drone can operate on a single battery change.

[0090] 4.2 Number and shape of receiving ports In the above embodiment, a pair of receiving ports are installed on each floor (see Figures 6 to 8). However, the number of receiving ports is not limited to two; one or three or more receiving ports may be installed on each floor depending on the number of drones used. Furthermore, the shape of the receiving port is not limited to a nearly positive orientation; it may also be a polygon, circle, or ellipse.

[0091] 4.3 Placement of receiving ports In the above embodiment, receiving ports are installed so that they do not overlap in a plan view between two adjacent floors, one above the other (see Figure 8). Alternatively, only one receiving port could be installed on each floor, so that the receiving ports do not overlap in a plan view between four adjacent floors, one above the other.

[0092] 4.4 Shape of the atrium The atrium 601 has a rectangular shape in plan view (see Figures 6 and 7). This shape is merely an example, and it may have a polygonal shape other than a rectangle. In that case, two or more receiving ports can be placed diagonally across the atrium.

[0093] 4.5 Control of the Judgment Module The control performed by the judgment module 1112 is not limited to displaying messages on the display. Other control methods include, for example, the following: First, one method of controlling the transport of goods using an elevator involves remotely controlling the elevator to lower the car to the first floor and setting the destination floor for that car. In this case, the delivery person does not need to operate the elevator themselves. Another control method involves remotely controlling a self-driving robot to transport goods, using an elevator to deliver them to the destination floor. In this case, the delivery person only needs to load the goods onto the self-driving robot.

[0094] On the other hand, one control method for transporting goods using drones involves remotely setting the delivery floor to a waiting drone. In this case, the delivery person only needs to attach the goods to the drone and perform the necessary operations to initiate flight.

[0095] 4.6 Other It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are included. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail to make the present invention easier to understand, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace parts of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add configurations from other embodiments to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0096] Furthermore, each of the above configurations, functions, processing units, and processing means may be implemented in hardware, either partially or entirely, by designing them as integrated circuits, for example. Alternatively, each of the above configurations and functions may be implemented in software by having the processor interpret and execute programs that implement each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files that implement each function can be stored in memory, a recording device such as a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive), or a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD.

[0097] Furthermore, the control lines and information lines shown are those deemed necessary for explanatory purposes, and not all control lines and information lines are necessarily shown in the actual product. In reality, it is safe to assume that almost all components are interconnected. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments disclose at least the configuration described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 600...Building, 601...Atrium, 602...Common corridor, 603A...Receiving port, 603B...Receiving port, 604...Ascending aircraft, 605...Descending aircraft, 701...Common corridor, 702A...Receiving port, 702B...Receiving port, 703...Entry route, 704...Exit route, 902...Luggage storage area, 903...Luggage attachment area, 904...Charging waiting area, 1001...Delivery locker, 1002...Temporary storage space, 1100...Management device, 1101...Main memory, 1102...Auxiliary memory, 1103...Processor, 1104...Input device, 1105...Output device, 1106...Communication control unit, 1111...Request reception module, 1112...Determination module, 1121...Delivery request data

Claims

1. It is a delivery system, A management system for managing the delivery of goods between floors using unmanned aerial vehicles within a multi-story building with an atrium, Multiple departure and arrival platforms are installed within the aforementioned atrium, and the multiple departure and arrival platforms are installed between adjacent upper and lower floors so as not to overlap in a plan view. It has, The number of unmanned aerial vehicles used for delivering packages is determined based on at least one of the following: the structure of the building, the specifications of the unmanned aerial vehicles, and the number of delivery requests per unit time. A delivery system characterized by the following features.

2. A delivery system, A management system for managing the delivery of goods between floors using unmanned aerial vehicles within a multi-story building having a roughly rectangular atrium in plan view, A pair of landing platforms located on one or more floors so as to be diagonally opposite each other within the atrium in a plan view, It has, The number of unmanned aerial vehicles used for delivering packages is determined based on at least one of the following: the structure of the building, the specifications of the unmanned aerial vehicles, and the number of delivery requests per unit time. A delivery system characterized by the following features.

3. The delivery system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the structure of the building includes at least one of the following: the number of floors in the building, the height of the floors in the building, and the number of households on each floor.

4. The delivery system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the specifications of the unmanned aerial vehicle include at least one of the following: the ascent speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the descent speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the time required to attach the cargo to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the time required to remove the cargo from the unmanned aerial vehicle, the time required to replace the battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the time the unmanned aerial vehicle can fly with one battery replacement.

5. The aforementioned building has a roughly rectangular atrium in plan view, The system further comprises a pair of landing platforms located on one or more floors, positioned diagonally across from each other within the atrium in a plan view. The delivery system according to claim 1, characterized in that

6. The delivery system according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of departure and arrival platforms installed within the aforementioned atrium, wherein the plurality of departure and arrival platforms are installed between adjacent upper and lower floors so as not to overlap in a plan view.

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