Affordable Autonomous Aerial Logistics Network

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BEELIEV is an impact driven technology company on a mission to promote, develop, and implement a practical solution to one of the world's most challenging economic and humanitarian problems; the price of pavement. With the ability to efficiently deliver cargo without reliance on roads, delivery drones can empower billions of people across the globe to lift themselves out of poverty by leap frogging over decades of otherwise needed infrastructure development.

To reliably service all phases of distribution using a flying vehicle it is necessary to fly low to the ground, in confined spaces, and in close proximity to dense human populations. Small, all-electric unmanned aircraft are best suited to perform this job but severely limited in range and payload. To address this fundamental limitation BEELIEV designed a patent-pending hybrid system that exploits the endurance capabilities of large fuel-powered aircraft (worker bees) to ferry small short range all-electric aircraft (pollinators) within range of their delivery addresses. The Worker bees' ability to carry multiple pollinators simultaneously or a large cargo container enables the creation of a flexible logistics network capable of affordably delivering large quantities of cargo over hundreds of miles of rugged, road-less terrain while maintaining the ability to safely operate close to people on the ground.

In order to autonomously navigate, take-off, and land pollinators in cluttered ground environments that often pose numerous dynamic obstacles, a guaranteed un-obstructed flight path is preferred over reliance on expensive obstacle avoidance technology. BEELIEV's patent-pending kiosk (hive) solves this problem by providing a permanent take-off and landing pad well above the many dynamic obstacles, such as people and livestock, that often present themselves on the ground. Knowledge of the form and location of static obstructions, such as man-made structures and trees, around the tower allow for pre-planning of a dedicated path around them. Elevating the take-off and landing pad also provides inherent safety advantages while denying interference and/or theft of a vehicle and it’s cargo.

Australia alone has a pick-up and delivery services industry worth $5B per year. BELIEV’s logistics network offers significant reduction in operating cost when compared to the cost of operating piloted aircraft in this role, as well as significant reduction in energy consumption when compared to ground transportation, and, in cities, can reduce traffic congestion. However, in most developed countries air space regulations are still years from supporting the requirements of a far-reaching autonomous aerial logistics network. The developing world does not suffer so heavily from this regulatory bottleneck and is the real frontier upon which we “beeliev” the greatest drone revolution will soon occur. There, BEELIEV is organizing a series of pilot projects to deliver high-value cargo to remote outposts using existing unmanned helicopter technology. In many cases these locations are currently supplied only by foot paths, pack animals, or motorcycles.

Beeliev has established business relationships with qualified companies to manufacture the required drone equipment, to provide for the route planning and flight automation, and for the design and manufacture of the kiosk. www.beeliev.com

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Lawrence Corban
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Profession:
    Engineer/Designer
  • Lawrence is inspired by:
    My mission is to inspire global self-empowerment through technology and contribute to the realization of an affordable autonomous aerial logistics network in Africa.
  • Patent status:
    pending