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This paper aims to tackle the problem for a fully actuated unmanned aerial vehicle (FUAV) to perform physical interaction tasks in the Global Positioning System-denied environments without expensive motion capture system (like VICON) under disturbances.

A tether-based positioning system consisting of a universal joint, a tether-actuated absolute position encoder and an attitude sensor is designed to provide reliable position feedback for the FUAV. To handle the disturbances, including the tension force caused by the taut tether, model uncertainties and other external disturbances such as aerodynamic disturbance, a hybrid disturbance observer (HDO) combining the position-based method and momentum-based technology with force sensor feedback is designed for the system. In addition, an HDO-based impedance controller is built to allow the FUAV interacting with the environment and meanwhile rejecting the disturbances.

Experimental validations of the proposed control algorithm are implemented on a real FUAV with the result of nice disturbance rejection capability and physical interaction performance.

A cheap alternative to indoor positioning system is proposed, with which the FUAV is able to interact with external environment and meanwhile reject the disturbances under the help of proposed hybrid disturbance observer and the impedance controller.

Because of the various advantages of reinforcement learning (RL) mentioned above, this study uses RL to train unmanned aerial vehicles to perform two tasks: target search and cooperative obstacle avoidance.

This study draws inspiration from the recurrent state-space model and recurrent models (RPM) to propose a simpler yet highly effective model called the unmanned aerial vehicles prediction model (UAVPM). The main objective is to assist in training the UAV representation model with a recurrent neural network, using the soft actor-critic algorithm.

This study proposes a generalized actor-critic framework consisting of three modules: representation, policy and value. This architecture serves as the foundation for training UAVPM. This study proposes the UAVPM, which is designed to aid in training the recurrent representation using the transition model, reward recovery model and observation recovery model. Unlike traditional approaches reliant solely on reward signals, RPM incorporates temporal information. In addition, it allows the inclusion of extra knowledge or information from virtual training environments. This study designs UAV target search and UAV cooperative obstacle avoidance tasks. The algorithm outperforms baselines in these two environments.

It is important to note that UAVPM does not play a role in the inference phase. This means that the representation model and policy remain independent of UAVPM. Consequently, this study can introduce additional “cheating” information from virtual training environments to guide the UAV representation without concerns about its real-world existence. By leveraging historical information more effectively, this study enhances UAVs’ decision-making abilities, thus improving the performance of both tasks at hand.

Achieving tenure security is a global challenge impacting cities of the global south. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the role of technology-enabled solutions as an enabler for the tenure rights of slum dwellers.

In this paper, we adopted a case study approach to analyze the use cases for technologies aiding India’s securitization of land tenure. The flagship state mission of Odisha, named the Jaga Mission, and that of Punjab, named BASERA – the Chief Minister’s Slum Development Program – were used as cases for this paper.

It was found that technologies like drone imagery and digital surveys fast-tracked the data collection and helped in mapping the slums with accuracy, mitigating human errors arising during measurement – a necessary condition for ensuring de jure tenure security. The adoption of a technology-based solution, along with a suitable policy and legal framework, has helped in the distribution of secure land titles to the slum dwellers in these states.

Odisha’s and Punjab’s journey in using technology to enable tenure security for its urban poor residents can serve as a model for the cities of the global south, dealing with the challenges of providing secure tenure and property rights.

Using visual materials to understand a social object requires the researcher to know that object's purpose, and this is true whether the object is an artifact, a restricted event, a small social world, or something as massive as the modern city. I argue that the purpose of the city as a settlement is driven by the need to safely sleep in peace at night while satisfying other basic biophysical needs during the day as conveniently as possible. An examination of these needs identifies 10 functional prerequisites for human settlement, entangling its inhabitants in involuntary community with entities and events other than themselves, whether they like it or not. In addition, the rise of the modern city exacerbates the challenge of living in a reluctant community and pressures its inhabitants to come to terms with the consequences for how these relationships affect daily life. I highlight nine challenges posed as questions that have been particularly salient in American urban history since the mid-nineteenth century. How these challenges have been addressed indicates not only what it takes to make a modern city a settlement suitable for satisfying human needs, but also just how deeply invested its residents are in making the city work. Finally, the 10 functional prerequisites and nine moral challenges not only provide a framework for researching the city, but also suggest a coherent outline for imagining a “shooting script” or guide for conducting visual research.

The purpose of this paper is to improve autonomous flight performance of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having actively sweep angle morphing wing using simultaneous UAV and flight control system (FCS) design.

An UAV is remanufactured in the ISTE Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Laboratory. Its wing sweep angle can vary actively during flight. FCS parameters and wing sweep angle are simultaneously designed to optimize autonomous flight performance index using a stochastic optimization method called as simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA). Results obtained are applied for flight simulations.

Using simultaneous design process of an UAV having actively sweep angle morphing wing and FCS design, autonomous flight performance index is maximized.

Authorization of Directorate General of Civil Aviation in Turkey is crucial for real-time UAV flights.

Simultaneous UAV having actively sweep angle morphing wing and FCS design process is so beneficial for recovering UAV autonomous flight performance index.

Simultaneous UAV having actively sweep angle morphing wing and FCS design process achieves confidence, high autonomous performance index and simple service demands of UAV operators.

Composing a novel approach to improve autonomous flight performance index (e.g. less settling and rise time, less overshoot meanwhile trajectory tracking) of an UAV and creating an original procedure carrying out simultaneous UAV having actively sweep angle morphing wing and FCS design idea.

This paper aims to assess the behavioural intention of construction organisations to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the delivery of construction projects. Using the unified theory of technology adoption and use of technology (UTAUT) model, the study strives to improve project delivery by adopting beneficial digital technologies.

The study adopted a postpositivism philosophical stance through a quantitative research approach using a structured questionnaire administered to construction organisations in South Africa. Primary data gathered was analysed using frequency, percentage, mean item score, Mann–Whitney U-test and confirmatory factor analysis, where the latter sought to deductively confirm the variables within the UTAUT model.

Construction organisations were found to rarely use UAVs in the country and furthermore, most of the participating organisations are unsure about using UAVs for their project delivery. Factors impacting on an organisation’s intention to use UAVs were identified as social influence, performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions. However, factors surrounding resistance to using and perceived risk cannot be overlooked as they also proved to be significant (at p = 0.05) to the behavioural intention of organisations to use UAVs.

Practical guidance for industry practitioners is offered in terms of insight into the key factors that must be considered for the effective utilisation of UAVs and the realisation of concomitant benefits.

This study bridges the knowledge gap in extant literature by exploring the practitioner’s behavioural intention to use UAVs. As an aside, an emergent theoretical backdrop for future works on UAVs is provided (particularly in developing countries where such a study has not been previously explored).

The purpose of this research paper is to recover the autonomous flight performance of a mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) via stochastically optimizing the wing over certain parameters (i.e. wing taper ratio and wing aspect ratio) while there are lower and upper constraints on these redesign parameters.

A mini UAV is produced in the Iskenderun Technical University (ISTE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Laboratory. Its complete wing can vary passively before the flight with respect to the result of the stochastic redesign of the wing while maximizing autonomous flight performance. Flight control system (FCS) parameters (i.e. gains of longitudinal and lateral proportional-integral-derivative controllers) and wing redesign parameters mentioned before are simultaneously designed to maximize autonomous flight performance index using a certain stochastic optimization strategy named as simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA). Found results are used while composing UAV flight simulations.

Using stochastic redesign of mini UAV and simultaneously designing mini ISTE UAV over previously mentioned wing parameters and FCS, it obtained a maximum UAV autonomous flight performance.

Permission of the directorate general of civil aviation in the Republic of Türkiye is essential for real-time UAV autonomous flights.

Stochastic redesign of mini UAV and simultaneously designing mini ISTE UAV wing parameters and FCS approach is very useful for improving any mini UAV autonomous flight performance cost index.

Stochastic redesign of mini UAV and simultaneously designing mini ISTE UAV wing parameters and FCS approach succeeds confidence, highly improved autonomous flight performance cost index and easy service demands of mini UAV operators.

Creating a new approach to recover autonomous flight performance cost index (e.g. satisfying less settling time and less rise time, less overshoot during flight trajectory tracking) of a mini UAV and composing a novel procedure performing simultaneous mini UAV having passively morphing wing over certain parameters while there are upper and lower constraints and FCS design idea.

The purpose of the paper is to analyse the sequence of forces acting as barriers in the usage of drones in the construction industry using interpretive structural modelling (ISM). The usage of drones in the construction industry is brought out phase-wise with the help of literature and live cases. Barriers to the usage of drones in construction and steps to derive the interaction between them are described in detail.

The extraction of barriers to the usage of drones in construction is done through cases and supported by the literature. The identification of the interaction between the barriers is done through multi-criteria decision models, namely, ISM and Matriced Impacts Croises Multiplication Appliquee a un Classement (MICMAC) and the results are presented in the form of a hierarchical structure. The paper highlights the potential for the usage of drones in every phase of construction across three stages of construction and eight different applications.

The findings on the interaction between barriers show that technical and research and development-related barriers have a higher driving power, ultimately influencing negativity among stakeholders in drone usage for construction. By analysing interrelationships between barriers, management can frame suitable strategies to adopt drone usage in projects. Awareness about the strength of certain barriers can help management take steps to mitigate the same.

By analysing interrelationships between barriers, management can frame suitable strategies to adopt drone usage in projects. A major limitation is a restriction of the study area to the Indian subcontinent. However, the authors believe that the results can be applied across countries where drone technology is at the nascent stage.

Awareness about the strength of certain barriers can help stakeholders take steps to mitigate the same.

The results of this research also give some inputs to the government’s drone policy for wider usage of drones in the construction industry.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, most studies on drones in construction industry bring out a list various challenges to their adoption. In this study, the authors have gone further to perform a hierarchical sequencing of barriers to drone adoption based on challenges faced in an emerging economy like India.

Drones have become an important element within hospitality and tourism. The purpose of this study is to identify the corpus of knowledge and create a research agenda that establishes appropriate guidelines for future study of drone application in hospitality and tourism.

This work has been undertaken using a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative and qualitative research and includes a review of the literature related to the study of drone use in hospitality and tourism.

The mixed-methods review identified gaps in the research, potential areas of study to enhance the scientific literature and potential uses of drones in tourism and hospitality for researchers, consumers and industry professionals.

This study makes an original contribution by establishing an integrated framework, which led to a synthesis of the research corpus and provided a holistic conceptualisation of the relationship between tourism and drones. In addition, the research agenda proposed will help boost and consolidate this emerging field of research.

无人机已经成为接待和旅游中的一个重要元素。本研究的主要目的是确定知识库, 并建立一个研究议程, 为未来无人机在酒店和旅游业的应用研究建立适当的指导方针。

这项工作采用了混合方法, 将定量和定性研究结合起来, 包括对与酒店和旅游业中无人机使用研究有关的文献进行回顾。

混合方法审查确定了研究中的差距、加强科学文献的潜在研究领域, 以及研究人员、消费者和行业专业人士在旅游和酒店业的无人机应用潜力。

这项研究通过建立一个综合框架做出了原创性的贡献, 它综合合成了研究语料库, 并对旅游和无人机之间的关系提供了一个整体的概念化。此外, 提出的研究议程将有助于促进和巩固这一新兴的研究领域。

Los drones se han convertido en un elemento importante dentro de la hostelería y el turismo. El objetivo principal de este estudio es identificar el corpus de conocimiento y crear una agenda de investigación que establezca las directrices adecuadas para el estudio futuro de la aplicación de los drones en la hostelería y el turismo.

Este trabajo se ha realizado utilizando un enfoque de métodos mixtos que combina la investigación cuantitativa y cualitativa e incluye una revisión de la literatura relacionada con el estudio del uso de drones en hostelería y turismo.

La revisión de métodos mixtos identificó lagunas en la investigación, áreas potenciales de estudio para mejorar la literatura científica y potencial de las aplicaciones de los drones en el turismo y la hostelería para investigadores, consumidores y profesionales del sector.

Este estudio aporta una contribución original al establecer un marco integrado, que conduce a una síntesis del corpus de investigación y proporciona una conceptualización holística de la relación entre el turismo y los drones. Además, la agenda de investigación propuesta contribuirá a impulsar y consolidar este campo de investigación emergente.

Organisations and industries are often looking for technologies that can accomplish multiple tasks, providing economic benefits and an edge over their competitors. In this context, drones have the potential to change many industries by making operations more efficient, safer and more economic. Therefore, this study investigates the use of drones as the next step in smart/digital warehouse management to determine their socio-economic benefits.

The study identifies various enablers impacting drone applications to improve inventory management, intra-logistics, inspections and surveillance in smart warehouses through a literature review, a test of concordance and the fuzzy Delphi method. Further, the graph theory matrix approach (GTMA) method was applied to ranking the enablers of drone application in smart/digital warehouses. In the subsequent phase, researchers investigated the relation between the drone application's performance and the enablers of drone adoption using logistic regression analysis under the TOE framework.

This study identifies inventory man agement, intra-logistics, inspections and surveillance are three major applications of drones in the smart warehousing. Further, nine enablers are identified for the adoption of drone in warehouse management. The findings suggest that operational effectiveness, compatibility of drone integration and quality/value offered are the most impactful enablers of drone adoption in warehouses. The logistic regression findings are useful for warehouse managers who are planning to adopt drones in a warehouse for efficient operations.

This study identifies the enablers of drone adoption in the smart and digital warehouse through the literature review and fuzzy Delphi. Therefore, some enablers may be overlooked during the identification process. In addition to this, the analysis is based on the opinion of the expert which might be influenced by their field of expertise.

By considering technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework warehousing companies identify the opportunities and challenges associated with using drones in a smart warehouse and develop strategies to integrate drones into their operations effectively.

This study proposes a TOE-based framework for the adoption of drones in warehouse management to improve the three prominent warehouse functions inventory management, intra-logistics, inspections and surveillance using the mixed-method.