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Do you think urban transport using UAVs would have a significant impact on pollution reduction?

Microsoft is Accelerating the Future of Aerial Autonomy

https://youtu.be/VEXANNfsyg4?feature=shared

Microsoft Project AirSim provides a rich set of tools that enables you to rapidly create custom machine learning capabilities. Realistic sensor models, pre-t...

Sorry for MS "commercial" but I think about tinkering with the AirSim framework. I suppose that the most pressing issue to solve within UAV technology is air traffic control and navigation of these vehicles to ensure safety.

8 comments

MrMakabar

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You could run something like a tool liberay with UAVs. That would be usefull and allow for a larger warehouse outside the city center.

However currently we have postal service and food deliveries as something similar to UAV services. Those do not cause much traffic. Most of that is people going from A to B without really transporting anything.

poVoq

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Obviously not. The better question would be why do you think it could?

But it's also not going to make it worse I guess, so there's that...

lemat_87

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Obviously not.

This is not obvious at all.

The better question would be why do you think it could?

For example, by reduction of traffic jams – unless you believe that this can be achieved by that most people will abandon their cars in favor of public means of transport, but sadly, hoping that is quite naive. UAVs could deliver parcels so many people would not need to sit in a diesel car to go shopping.

toaster

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In many places, people use their cars significantly less due to the quality of public transport and walkable/bikeable communities. Less cars on the road results in less traffic overall. It may seem naive to someone living in an American suburb but perfectly reasonable to someone living in Copenhagen.

poVoq

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How would that be different from current delivery services? Yes they also use roads, but they are not numerous enough to be the cause of traffic jams, so that wouldn't make a difference in that regard.

lemat_87

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By making easier and cheaper to deliver products as grocery and catering services, not only Amazon / Alibaba / the like parcels. And people going shopping / restaurant make a significant part of the traffic.

poVoq

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There's not going to be millions of micro-drones delivering your lunch to you, and most of the shopping / restaurant visits are done because people want to do them or are travelling anyway.

lemat_87

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That's right, but still each electrically powered UAV trip seems to be better to air quality and CO_2 emissions than a trip by a combustion-engine-powered car.

people want to do them

Not necessarily. I think many people, including me, are perfectly happy spending whole day at home. It is very convenient when you can order something almost to your door, and it would be ideal without burning fossil fuels or exploiting delivery people.

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