Embry-Riddle partners with private and public entities to assist in developing solutions to today's and tomorrow's aeronautical and aerospace problems. Here at the world's largest aviation-oriented university, our focus on applied research is unique.

Project Courier

Project Courier is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) delivery service that would operate across the ERAU campus aimed at allowing for quick delivery of documents, packages, and potentially food. 

Logistically, the design of the project is relatively simple. A modified UAV will fly from one delivery point to another based on a preset flight path. The delivery points will be either structures in outdoor locations or open spots for personal pickup such as in front of the Student Village or in front of the College of Arts and Sciences.  At each drop off zone there will either have to be a storage container for the payload or a user present to collect the deliverables; either way the focus of this project is so that students and staff could be able to access other university services via this delivery with ease. When a UAV runs low on battery, programming will be in place that will return the UAV to a dedicated charging hub allowing for, hopefully, a closed and automated system.

Despite the simplification above of the team’s goals, the work involved will be complex and multidisciplinary. We will involve skills in the field of programming, CATIA, structural engineering, aeronautical engineering, human resources, aeronautical law, logistics, and leadership. This calls for a team composed of everything Embry-Riddle does and because of our parallel goal of catalyzing individuals anyone will be able to join. 

Research Dates

07/01/2016 to 06/30/2017

Researchers

  • John Robbins
    Department
    Aeronautical Science Department
    Degrees
    Ph.D., B.A., University of Florida
    M.S., Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Categories: Undergraduate