Search results

1 – 10 of over 3000
Article
Publication date: 29 September 2023

Akinade Adebowale Adewojo, Aderinola Ololade Dunmade and Adetola Adebisi Akanbiemu

This study aims to explore the potential use of drones in special library services, aiming to enhance accessibility, services and reliability. It examines how drones can provide…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the potential use of drones in special library services, aiming to enhance accessibility, services and reliability. It examines how drones can provide library materials to individuals unable to access traditional services and addresses challenges associated with drone implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study involves a literature review and case studies to analyze the feasibility and benefits of incorporating drones into special libraries. This study also discusses the synergy between drone technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing library operations.

Findings

Drones have the potential to transform special libraries by automating tasks, improving efficiency and expanding outreach. Their application ranges from inventory management and book retrieval to security, surveillance and outreach initiatives. AI-powered drones can provide real-time data on library usage and enhance cost-effectiveness. However, challenges including costs, privacy concerns and regulatory frameworks need to be addressed.

Originality/value

The integration of drones and AI in special library services presents a novel approach to revolutionizing library operations. This study uniquely combines these technologies, emphasizing the importance of proactive consideration of challenges and prospects for successful implementation.

Details

Library Hi Tech News, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0741-9058

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 March 2023

Robert Bogue

This paper aims to illustrate the growing role of drones in applications involving physical tasks.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to illustrate the growing role of drones in applications involving physical tasks.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a short introduction, this first provides a brief introduction to drone technology. It then describes and discusses products and applications involving physical tasks in agricultural and forestry, maritime rescue, firefighting and product delivery. Finally, brief conclusions are drawn.

Findings

Excluding military applications, drones were initially used primarily for image acquisition. Numerous different designs have since been developed with greatly varying wing configurations, payloads, flight duration, power sources and other features which are increasingly being used to conduct physical tasks. In the applications considered here drones are applying agrochemicals and dispersing crop and tree seeds; saving lives by deploying lifeboats and buoyancy aids; extinguishing fires in high-rise buildings and forests; and delivering groceries, food, mail, medicines and humanitarian aid, often in and to remote locations.

Originality/value

This study provides a detailed insight into selection of applications in which drones conduct physical tasks.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 50 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 September 2016

Peter Fernandez

The word “drone” is the common term for an unmanned aerial vehicle – a robot that combines flight with sensors (usually cameras) to allow for unprecedented freedom in observing…

881

Abstract

Purpose

The word “drone” is the common term for an unmanned aerial vehicle – a robot that combines flight with sensors (usually cameras) to allow for unprecedented freedom in observing and interacting with the world.

Design/methodology/approach

This column will explore the technology that makes modern drones possible, what makes drones useful and the role of libraries in making drones accessible to their patrons, now and in the future.

Findings

Many of these applications are equally appealing to hobbyists and professionals. For some small-scale gardeners, drones can be used to scare away pests, such as deer, or take aerial photographs that provide a new perspective of their garden.

Originality/value

For the agriculture industry, drones already account for $864.4 million in spending per year and are expected to grow to account for over $4 billion by 2022, as they are used not only to monitor and plan crops but also to plant seeds and provide accurate pesticide control (Wood, 2016).

Details

Library Hi Tech News, vol. 33 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0741-9058

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 June 2020

Lalitha Ramadass, Sushanth Arunachalam and Sagayasree Z.

The purpose of this paper is to inspect whether the people in a public place maintain social distancing. It also checks whether every individual is wearing face mask. If both are…

1421

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to inspect whether the people in a public place maintain social distancing. It also checks whether every individual is wearing face mask. If both are not done, the drone sends alarm signal to nearby police station and also give alarm to the public. In addition, it also carries masks and drop them to the needed people. Nearby, traffic police will also be identified and deliver water packet and mask to them if needed.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed system uses an automated drone which is used to perform the inspection process. First, the drone is being constructed by considering the parameters such as components selection, payload calculation and then assembling the drone components and connecting the drone with the mission planner software for calibrating the drone for its stability. The trained yolov3 algorithm with the custom data set is being embedded in the drone’s camera. The drone camera runs the yolov3 algorithm and detects the social distance is maintained or not and whether the people in public is wearing masks. This process is carried out by the drone automatically.

Findings

The proposed system delivers masks to people who are not wearing masks and tells importance of masks and social distancing. Thus, this proposed system would work in an efficient manner after the lockdown period ends and helps in easy social distance inspection in an automatic manner. The algorithm can be embedded in public cameras and then details can be fetched to the camera unit same as the drone unit which receives details from the drone location details and store it in database. Thus, the proposed system favours the society by saving time and helps in lowering the spread of corona virus.

Practical implications

It can be implemented practically after lockdown to inspect people in public gatherings, shopping malls, etc.

Social implications

Automated inspection reduces manpower to inspect the public and also can be used in any place.

Originality/value

This is the original project done with the help of under graduate students of third year B.E. CSE. The system was tested and validated for accuracy with real data.

Details

International Journal of Pervasive Computing and Communications, vol. 16 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1742-7371

Keywords

Expert briefing
Publication date: 12 June 2020

Yet the use of drones for these purposes in the last two months has also exposed how much work remains to be done in getting more advanced drone services to the market.

Details

DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB253226

ISSN: 2633-304X

Keywords

Geographic
Topical
Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 March 2024

Zabih Ghelichi, Monica Gentili and Pitu Mirchandani

This paper aims to propose a simulation-based performance evaluation model for the drone-based delivery of aid items to disaster-affected areas. The objective of the model is to…

49

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a simulation-based performance evaluation model for the drone-based delivery of aid items to disaster-affected areas. The objective of the model is to perform analytical studies, evaluate the performance of drone delivery systems for humanitarian logistics and can support the decision-making on the operational design of the system – on where to locate drone take-off points and on assignment and scheduling of delivery tasks to drones.

Design/methodology/approach

This simulation model captures the dynamics and variabilities of the drone-based delivery system, including demand rates, location of demand points, time-dependent parameters and possible failures of drones’ operations. An optimization model integrated with the simulation system can update the optimality of drones’ schedules and delivery assignments.

Findings

An extensive set of experiments was performed to evaluate alternative strategies to demonstrate the effectiveness for the proposed optimization/simulation system. In the first set of experiments, the authors use the simulation-based evaluation tool for a case study for Central Florida. The goal of this set of experiments is to show how the proposed system can be used for decision-making and decision-support. The second set of experiments presents a series of numerical studies for a set of randomly generated instances.

Originality/value

The goal is to develop a simulation system that can allow one to evaluate performance of drone-based delivery systems, accounting for the uncertainties through simulations of real-life drone delivery flights. The proposed simulation model captures the variations in different system parameters, including interval of updating the system after receiving new information, demand parameters: the demand rate and their spatial distribution (i.e. their locations), service time parameters: travel times, setup and loading times, payload drop-off times and repair times and drone energy level: battery’s energy is impacted and requires battery change/recharging while flying.

Details

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 February 2024

Amer Jazairy, Emil Persson, Mazen Brho, Robin von Haartman and Per Hilletofth

This study presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of the interdisciplinary literature on drones in last-mile delivery (LMD) to extrapolate pertinent insights from and into…

Abstract

Purpose

This study presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of the interdisciplinary literature on drones in last-mile delivery (LMD) to extrapolate pertinent insights from and into the logistics management field.

Design/methodology/approach

Rooting their analytical categories in the LMD literature, the authors performed a deductive, theory refinement SLR on 307 interdisciplinary journal articles published during 2015–2022 to integrate this emergent phenomenon into the field.

Findings

The authors derived the potentials, challenges and solutions of drone deliveries in relation to 12 LMD criteria dispersed across four stakeholder groups: senders, receivers, regulators and societies. Relationships between these criteria were also identified.

Research limitations/implications

This review contributes to logistics management by offering a current, nuanced and multifaceted discussion of drones' potential to improve the LMD process together with the challenges and solutions involved.

Practical implications

The authors provide logistics managers with a holistic roadmap to help them make informed decisions about adopting drones in their delivery systems. Regulators and society members also gain insights into the prospects, requirements and repercussions of drone deliveries.

Originality/value

This is one of the first SLRs on drone applications in LMD from a logistics management perspective.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2024

Srividhya Raju Sridharan, Sagar Malsane and Govinda Shashikant Bhutada

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)…

Abstract

Purpose

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.

Design/methodology/approach

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.

Findings

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.

Research limitations/implications

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.

Practical implications

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

Social implications

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

Originality/value

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.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 December 2023

Sachin Kumar, Bhagwan Singh, Vinod Kumar, Ranjan Chaudhuri, Sheshadri Chatterjee and Demetris Vrontis

The present study intends to discover and analyze the determinants of users' intention to use (ITU) drone-based online food delivery (OFD) services. The study mainly focuses on…

Abstract

Purpose

The present study intends to discover and analyze the determinants of users' intention to use (ITU) drone-based online food delivery (OFD) services. The study mainly focuses on the drone-based food delivery system in India and its implications.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has used the purposive sampling method. With the support of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), a theoretical model was developed conceptually. Later, the model was validated using the partial least square-structure equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique with consideration of 324 responses mainly from university students in Delhi- National Capital Region (NCR).

Findings

The findings reveal that all the determinants are positively and significantly related to ITU, except for perceived behavioral control that does not influence the consumer’s ITU drone-based OFD services. The study also shows that how food delivery system through drone can revolutionize the entire food delivery system in India.

Research limitations/implications

The present study has developed a unique model that can be used by practitioners, future researchers in this field and policymakers in government departments. The present study is limited to Delhi-NCR in India, and thus, there is an issue of generalizability in the present study.

Practical implications

This study has examined the future of food delivery system through drone-based system. Thus, the leaders in the food industry will be better positioned to understand consumers' intentions to use OFD services using drones and be able to make more informed decisions about investment in drone technology in their respective organizations.

Originality/value

The present study has combined both the technology adoption model and the TPB and developed a theoretical model. The study enriches the literature on drone-based OFD services. Since users' acceptance of OFD services using drones is an under-researched area, the present study will make a meaningful contribution to bring the body of literature in this domain.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 126 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Case study
Publication date: 4 December 2023

Boris Urban and Stephanie Althea Townsend

After completion of the case study, students will be able to evaluate the journey of launching a business in an emerging market context and judge how opportunities and challenges…

Abstract

Learning outcomes

After completion of the case study, students will be able to evaluate the journey of launching a business in an emerging market context and judge how opportunities and challenges can be navigated to build sustainable enterprises; assess the relevance of individual attributes and process skills that are necessary for entrepreneurial agency to transform social structures through entrepreneurial action; formulate an argument highlighting the role of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in growing a competitive business in an emerging market context; make an informed decision and critique how accelerators and incubators affect the development of ideas and access to finance in South Africa; and propose various strategic options available for technology entrepreneurs, considering the challenges they face in emerging economies.

Case overview/synopsis

In April 2023, Queen Ndlovu, CEO and founder of QP Drone Tech, a provider of drone business solutions, was considering options to fulfil her original dream of manufacturing drones in South Africa. She had encountered obstacles to achieving the same in 2019, and had decided to focus on providing commercial drone consulting services. However, her dream had not extinguished, and in 2022, she decided to restart her efforts. She found practical support from The Innovation Hub, an incubator that was supporting her business, which enabled her to enhance the prototype of her drone. She then had to think about how she would manufacture drones locally by ensuring she had access to production infrastructure, funding, partners and customers. Would she be able to gain a competitive advantage that would differentiate her from competitors? Or should she reconsider whether she should be manufacturing in the first place, as there are risks and benefits for smaller businesses in this regard.

Complexity academic level

This case is intended for discussion in postgraduate diploma in business and Master of Business Administration courses.

Supplementary material

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Details

Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, vol. 13 no. 4
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2045-0621

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 3000