UPS UPS today announced its
participation in a multi-state study on the use of drones for humanitarian
disaster relief operations.
The study was coordinated by Measure, a 32 Advisors Company specializing in
drone applications, on behalf of the American Red Cross and participating
companies, including UPS. The study was initiated to help inform
decision-making on key issues related to drone use and policy.
The study's findings, which demonstrated the ways new technologies and
resources can be implemented to help communities recover, were shared with
local, state and federal emergency managers, along with officials in Congress
and the Executive Branch during an event today in Washington, D.C.
As part of the market study, UPS's analysis and logistics expertise was used
in the creation of the project scope and evaluation criteria. UPS assessed
different scenarios where drones could be utilized for delivery to
difficult-to-reach locations, as well as potential deployment considerations
of such usage, regulatory implications and safety protocols.
"UPS routinely develops and evaluates new technologies, including but not
limited to drones, that aid deliveries to difficult to access locations," said
Mitch Nichols, UPS senior vice president of transportation and engineering.
"We believe autonomous and semi-autonomous technology can solve a critical
need for humanitarian logistics and effective crisis response."
Conducted between October 2014 and April 21, 2015, the market study consisted
of interviews with officials in three U.S. states that had experienced recent
relief operations, including Washington state (March 2014 mudslides), New York
(Hurricane Sandy) and New Jersey (Hurricane Sandy).
Along with the interviews with state officials, UPS examined data obtained
under different test scenarios during a drone demonstration in Disaster City,
Texas, facilitated by Texas A&M University on March 26, 2015.
The demonstration evaluated drone platforms for key operating characteristics,
ranges and payloads, while simulating various relief and flight scenarios.
By working with manufacturers, government agencies and non-profit
organizations to field-test new fuels and technologies, UPS continuously
identifies and integrates advanced technologies and operational efficiencies
into its large, global transportation fleet.
"We have been working with the American Red Cross and other relief
organizations to improve the supply chain for humanitarian aid," said Nichols.
"This is a long-standing area of focus for our company, and complements the
work of The UPS Foundation. UPS personnel on numerous occasions have applied
their expertise in logistics and supply chain management to solve global
challenges."
In March, The UPS Foundation announced the launch of the UPS Relief Link
program in partnership with UNHCR, the U.N.'s refugee agency, to improve the
lives of displaced refugees around the world through optimized distribution
and tracking of critical supplies in crisis-affected areas. UPS Relief Link
combines the use of a hand-held scanning tool and durable identification cards
to deliver superior efficiency by eliminating paper records in the refugee
camps.
The program was developed leveraging UPS's proprietary Trackpad technology,
which was first implemented to assist The Salvation Army with relief efforts
following the devastating earthquakes in Haiti in 2010. The technology
provides full visibility into the supply chain journey of urgently-needed
items through the critical 'last mile' of delivery to refugees, where human
tracking and data input errors often lead to inconsistent delivery and
distribution.
To read the detailed findings of the market study on drone use in humanitarian
response, visit www.measure32.com.
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