need 3 pages

Abstract

The question of commercialization of drones has been widely debated in the field of unmanned aerial vehicle, with scholars such as Welch Adrienne taking analysis on the cost effectiveness of using drones for delivery purposes. Welch Adrienne for instance, took a research on Amazon Company and tried to identify the economic aspects of using drones for delivery purposes of the e-commerce products. (Wel, 2015). Also Chu and Murray compare the normal track delivery method and the drone delivery method. (Chu et al, 2015). From these two scholars and others who have debated on the benefits of drone technology, it can be seen that definitely drones would earn companies that use them a competitive advantage. However, these category of authors have not fully address the shortcomings, limitations and challenges to the use of this technology for commercial purposes. In fact, several authors have noted that the regulation issues is one of the hindering factors that would limit the use of drones. For instance, scholars like Dourado have found that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pose regulations which would hamper the penetration of use of drones for commercial purposes. Also, the scholar notices the various technical challenges and safety issues. Hence, there is a dilemma and debate of the use of drones for commercial purposes. This paper seeks to study these two issues and bring a balance between the two contradictions.

Relationship with CPT

Introduction

Drone is one of the mostly used technologies in the current world of economics and sales of services. It is being currently utilized in making it easier to support mobility of the various objects by computer system or human controlling it while being just some distance away from the drone. The ability to easily maneuver various places easily has made drones to be used everywhere from medicine to e-commerce. It is currently being used for delivering purposes.

Before it was being used for commercial purposes, it was first used for military purposes where unmanned aircraft (drone) was being used to transport warfare and other instruments. However, as years goes, it has been utilized for commercial purposes, where goods are being delivered instantly from the regions they are ordered. (Brar et al, 2015).

The technicality of configurations for drones is quite big and drones contain complex electronic design as well as special algorithms that are intended to have the synchronized control of the remote delivery of the goods. For instance, Amazon has been using the drone system to deliver its purchased goods from customers in the UK. (Welch, 2015).

There are some factors to consider when coming with drones that perform such tasks. Such would include electricity, GPS track, mechanical structure, destination area terrain, programming and the nature of the item to be delivered.

Also, there are some other factors which are not technical but matter most in the design of drones. Such factors would include legal permissions, legal acts and issues that would affect the operation of drones in the location of the airspace which is owned and managed by the federal government. Currently, it is only possible to operate smoothly the drones in countryside where there are few obstacles. When they are flying over the city, it would be difficult to keep track of them because in the city, there are obstacles such as buildings which affect the motion of the drone. The use adoption of the drone system has been seen by the simulation that is provided by the Amazon Company. They simulate how the drone works with the equipment being placed on them. In their testing process, they show how a customer would order something from Amazon. Then Amazon would place the parcel in a delivery track where the drone is ready to fly. Then the drone would be automated with an electric system that would then fly to the destination where the product is delivered. Upon reaching the surface, the drone releases the good being ordered by the customer on an open field. Then the customer picks the delivered product and the drone goes back at the delivery place. The whole of this process is being computerized with the records on how the drone is navigated is being logged into the computer system at delivery station. (Lawson, 2017).

Problem Statement and Justification

The problem of being studied in this research paper is how the drone delivery system is used in e-commerce and its evolution towards drone delivery system. The paper as well looks at how licensure of the drone system can be done so that commercial companies are allowed to deliver products to customers using the unmanned vehicles. This research paper as well seeks to provide the mechanical and architecture of the drone system with the protocols of networking that would enable the drone machine to operate and deliver the appropriate services. (Alshbatat et al, 2010). Concerning issues of drone system such as battery power, legal issues and other factors are also being addressed in this research paper.

The problem is of great concerned because in the near future, use of drones would advance. Companies shall start embracing the new technology and use it to their advantage. It is more advantageous because it delivers easily products to inaccessible areas. More customers would be fond of using it and would venture much in ecommerce. For instance, since the adoption of this new technology, more customers feel better when they perform online purchases and they receive their products on time by these animated drone systems. (Rao et al, 2016)

Research Scope, Aim and Objectives

The objective of this research paper is to analyze how the drone can be used for commercial purposes. Hence, there are several objectives that I should beet while conducting the research paper. The following are the scope and objectives of this research paper;

a. To get insight about the future for drones. One of the aims of studying drones is to get the insight on how the drone would be used in the future to deliver goods for e-commerce.

b. While conducting the research paper, I will make sure I have my information organized. This would include studying all the related materials on the drone technology. I would collect the various scholarly articles on the topic of drone.

c. While reading the articles found on the internet concerning drones, I shall filter out the information needed to come up with this research paper. These information would be based on facts and the arguments presented in these articles shall be of value to this research paper by providing evidence and supporting information.

d. Identifiable challenges with drones shall also be a scope for this research paper. I shall find out what challenges to drone come up with. These challenges shall also provide the insight required to come up with new designs that would solve these challenges

e. Within the allocated time of the project, I shall come up with the various information and sources which would provide the results needed

f. I would use the research approach needed to collect and review the information on drone. When looking at the technical details of drone such as the design, algorithm and movement of drones, I shall be applying the positivist approach. This is because it is based on rules, laws and other things that would constitute reality of existing objects and phenomena. Such an approach would help to define the scientific concept of the design of drones and the protocols which are used in their development. When researching concerning the impact of drones and how the society is embracing the technology, I shall use the critical approach because it would consider about the economic, social and political issues around drones. The social issues would take into concern about how the society like the technology. On political issues, studies would be made to see what legislation and legal issues are influencing drones and their use. On economic factors, the advantages of drone on making work easier and improvement of sales shall be discussed as well.

Research Question and Hypothesis

The main research question of this research paper is how the drones are used in the field of e-commerce. All the research and arguments would be based on this because this is the main concern that I would like to express in this paper. By the end of this research paper, the following hypothesis and questions would be dealt with.

a. Drones shall be the future of e-commerce delivery system

b. Drone delivery is efficient and appropriate for use than other delivery methods

c. The cost of drone delivery in e-commerce cannot be compared with the benefits of using it.

d. Since companies like Amazon have successfully used drones, then other companies can have an opportunity to try to use drone sand achieve the same results.

e. Social impact of the use of drones would draw more people to like the use of UAV in delivery of use apart from the military.

f. The current legislation shall amend its policy to license the various companies to use drones for commercial purposes.

g. The competition in the market that drone system would create shall make even more cheaper the delivery of goods through drones and hence a benefit to the customers using these goods.

h. Increased use of drones shall create issues in the environment and the legal issues because of a rising need of regulation and control of their use.

i. There are risks being incurred while using the drone technology in coming up with news of delivering goods.

Apart from the above hypothesis, there are several questions that would be needed to be answered. The following are the questions that would guide the progression of this research paper;

a. What are the technical issues that affect drones? The question shall be concerned on providing answers to how the architecture of drones look like. Also, it would take analysis on what standards like the networking protocols are concerned with the use of drones.

b. What are the methodology used in drones? This question would seek to gather information on the methodology used in drones. Such methodology would refer to the various methods that result to the development of drones.

c. What are the applications of drones? The question would seek to answer on the long-term and short-term application of drones especially in the area of commerce.

d. What are the risks of use of drones? The question shall seek to answer on the basic risks that would come up as a result of the use of drones.

e. What are the impact of drones? This question shall seek to provide answers on what are the resulting effects of using drones.

f. What are the future research and implications to society? In this question, answers shall be provided on the future research as well as the implications that society would pose towards the use of drones in e-commerce among other niche.

Literature review

Early Development of drones for commercial drones.

Lacroix, Alami and Hattenberger conducted research in October 2006 on the control of drones. These authors are researchers who have participated in IEEE international conference and various technology events. Their technical and scientific information is of importance to this paper since it provides details on how the UAV including commercial drones are designed and would be refined for maximum efficiency and capability of control

In their research they conducted and analyzed the various solutions on algorithmic basis which would facilitate the flying of drones. They present how such algorithm would help to work out the flight for UAV in rough environmental conditions which are not conducive to facilitate the activity of drones. The algorithms are aimed at providing developers with information on trajectories, geometric configuration and control of the UAV. Algorithms are one of the basic structure of computer programs and the way they are presented in the articles by these authors makes them usable by other developers towards the design of improved drone technology with increased accessibility and efficiency. Especially, the trajectory movement are simulated and would be used in the refinement of the drone movement in the horizon. (Lacroix et al, 2006, p.2).

Economic Aspects of Commercial Drones

Welch Adrienne took his study in 2015 where he analyzed the economic aspects of the Drone Delivery System that Amazon came up with. (Wel, 2015, p.1). The author is a scholar and a lecturer in University of Tennessee at Chattanoo where he majors on Economics. His research paper helps in providing details on how the drone delivery system would be advantageous if used in e-commerce and hence help to measure the viability of the implementation of this technology.

In the paper, analysis is made on the benefits and costs of the proposed Prime Air delivery system of Amazon at the doorsteps of the customer. It applies the framework of benefit-cost analysis while examining the cost of this technology, its speed and advantages when compared to the operational costs. In the model formulated, a study is also taken on FAA regulations on drones. The paper tries to see if Amazon would achieve its goal of increasing profitability by application of new technology. In the study, the author takes study on the probable costs as well as benefits of implementing the drone delivery system in Amazon and the commerce industry at large. In his studies, he takes a look on whether drone delivery is cost effective than ground delivery alone with Amazon as a sample. In his studies, he concludes that Amazon would gain the competitive advantage it is seeking when they revolution on its delivery system by using drone technology.

Murray and Chu conducted a research in 2015 on the drone delivery system compares with the normal delivery track. These two authors are professionals in the field of engineering. They take researches on technologies including drones. Their article on drone is resourceful in this information since it provides the information on the technicality and heuristic comparison of drone and delivery track. Their article also provides the information on how the drone delivery system would be cost effective when applied to delivering the last-mile distance to the customer. (Murray and Chu, 2015, p.1)

They also study how the drone delivery system, which was initially used in military, is now adopted in commerce. In the article, the authors provide the mathematical as well as programming models that are focused towards scheduling and routing of the unmanned aircraft in the area of the parcel delivery. He analyzes how the routing problems of delivery track is solved by addition of delivery drones into the delivery system. These drones are seen as important equipment that would provide services for the last-mile delivery. The authors analyze how the system would enable a faster customer orders receipting as well as minimizing the cost of distributor with reduced impacts on environment. The authors take positivist research approach by conducting numerical analysis which are aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of drones when modifying the metrics of speed and distance endurance. (Murray and Chu, 2015, p.1)

Murray and Chu conducted a research in 2015 on the drone delivery system compares with the normal delivery track. These two authors are professionals in the field of engineering. They take researches on technologies including drones. Their article on drone is resourceful in this information since it provides the information on the technicality and heuristic comparison of drone and delivery track. Their article also provides the information on how the drone delivery system would be cost effective when applied to deliver the last-mile distance to the customer.

They also study how the drone delivery system, which was initially used in military, is now adopted in commerce. In the article, the authors provide the mathematical as well as programming models that are focused towards scheduling and routing of the unmanned aircraft in the area of the parcel delivery. He analyzes how the routing problems of delivery track is solved by addition of delivery drones into the delivery system. These drones are seen as important equipment that would provide services for the last-mile delivery. The authors analyze how the system would enable a faster customer orders receipting as well as minimizing the cost of distributor with reduced impacts on environment. The authors take positivist research approach by conducting numerical analysis which are aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of drones when modifying the metrics of speed and distance endurance. (Murray & Chu, 2015, p.5).

As the drone technology was advancing, new regulations arose. This probed the researchers to study in 2015 the various regulatory policy that would guide and regulate the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. Dourado, Thierer and Hagemann are researchers at George Mason University. Their article presents some very important information that would help in explaining the importance of making flexible rules that would incorporate the regulations and free move of unmanned vehicles for commercial purposes. The information also provides insight on the need of advocating for flexible rules that would ensure adaptability of use of drone delivery system.

Regulations, Reliability Issues, Social Acceptance of Drones

In their article, the regulatory drawbacks are evident which possess difficulties and limitations of commercialization of unmanned aircraft. These author take a look on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations which is the major agent that deals with regulating these unmanned vehicles. The authors of the article proposes the use of rules rather than precautionary approach by the FAA. (Dourado et al, 2015, p.4). The authors present the fact that such regulations are one of the challenges that commercial companies would experience while implementing the drone delivery system. Such would as well see the hindrance and lose of opportunities of using these systems in the U.S.

Schenkelberg conducted a research in 2016 where he tried to look at the issues of reliability, accuracy and safety of the drone delivery system. He discusses of the technical and basic shortcomings that would face the teams which would come up with the unmanned flying systems for delivery purposes concerning reliability engineering. He proposes the approaches that these engineers would take so as to achieve the reliability goals that drone systems are required to meet for regulations and standards. (Schenkelberg, 2016, p.3). He advocates that technical problems like GPS, engine failure, hacking, power line and terror should be addressed in delivery drones because these problems cannot be ignored. He emphasizes that most probably, the cost that would be incurred in acquiring drones and maintaining them would surpass that of delivery truck. Hence, he suggests that such metrics should be addressed so as to ensure that the technological implementation in the e-commerce is viable.

The article offers insights and facts which would assist in predicting the potential risks of delivery drones. This information would be resourceful in this paper when providing details about standards and reliability of drone delivery technology.

In 2015, Thiels and his colleagues conducted a research on the delivery capability of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Their article provided resourceful information in explaining how the drones behave while delivering goods. Even though their case study was that of medical products transportation, the concept of delivering commercial goods becomes a learned experience from such applications. (Thiels et al, 2015, p.1).

In their article, Thiels and the other researchers show how drones can be used to transport products in rural areas. It was discovered that the cost of transporting such products with drones was less than the cost of using the normal aircraft. We can see from this that there are many advantages and solutions that drones can solve in the commercial niche.

Rao, Gopi & Maione (2016) conducted a research that focused on the society view of UAV and commercial drones. The authors are known researchers in the effect of technology on society. In their article, they pointed out that these commercial drones would result to challenges of regulation, security, safety, privacy and liability. They claim that drones have changed the way we live and order goods. However, they describe how drones have a negative publicity in some way. This is because some people would view them as surveillance equipment. Such a challenge has caused a limitation of its use for commercial purposes. The authors show how such challenges would cause problems with integration of commercial drones in the public, private and governmental infrastructure. Their findings are very important in this research paper in that they provide the information on how the society would take a view of drone. Their findings help to answer the questions on whether the drone system would be used in the society once they become a common transportation for goods ordered online. (Rao et al, 2016, p.4).

Jones (2017) took an analysis on the international regulations concerning drones and their commercial use. The author is a well-known international worker on regulatory issues of drones. In his article, he takes a look at the various regulatory issues that affect drones. His article is very resourceful in this research paper because it provides more information on regulatory issues that affect commercialized drone delivery system. (Jones, 2017, p.3)

In May 2017, Anthony Mark took a research thesis to study the consumer behavior of Consumer on the use of drone delivery system. Anthony was a scholar at Appalachian State University who graduated with honors. His research paper is respected due to the approach he takes in supporting his arguments as demonstrated in the research paper. His research would be helpful in this paper in trying to explain how the system would be adapted by consumers. It takes on critical research approach where the society views of reality are taken into consideration.

In his paper, he describes how the drone delivery system was innovated by Amazon Company. The CEO of Amazon was trying to find a way which would reduce the time of shipment taking into account that e-commerce was evolving. Subsequently, the idea of drone system was being conceptualized and realized. In his paper, Anthony focuses on the perspectives that consumers have towards drone delivery future as well as the willingness they have towards making use of this service. The author did a positivist research where he conducted a practical survey which involved categorization of people with similar viewpoints concerning the drone delivery. He based his research questions on insurance and risk issues that commercial drone flights would incur as well as innovation theory diffusion. In his result, he came to realize that about 50% of respondents opted for utilizing this new technology. Taking into account that not many of the respondents had used initially the drone system, the result was enough to support the hypothesis that drone system is variable for utilization in the delivery system. (Lawson, 2017, p.2).

Park, Kim & Suh, carried out a research in 2018 where they focused on the environmental effects of using drone for commercial purposes to deliver goods. These authors are well-known researchers in the field of environment. The authors carried out research on the various advantages that drones has brought after they have been commercialized. One of the advantages the authors have looked at is that of accessibility and mobility to remote areas. Drones have proved to have positive environmental impacts when compared to motorcycle delivery. Such advantages among others provide good information that would be used in this research paper. Also, the authors have tried to explain how drones would reduce the global warming effects. (Park et al, 2018, p.2).

Research Design

In this paper, I shall use a mixture of research design. I would use the positivist research method to get the concepts of technical aspects that drone systems would use. In the literature review, all sources that would explain the algorithms, network architecture and mechanical structure of drones would be used for this research method.

I would use the critical research method to explain how the drone delivery system affects the economy and delivery of goods. As seen in the literature review, there are sections where I took the reference on how the society reflect on the use of drones for commercial purposes. Also, there are sources that include analysis of the profit boost of the companies that are involved in delivery of goods through drones.

Proposed Solutions and Methodologies

Proposed research method

The proposed research method is a mixture between positivist method and the critical method. The positivist method is preferred in explaining the scientific details of my research paper. Also the critical method shall be used to explain the society impact of my researched object. In positivist research methodology, concerns shall be made towards the use of drones. This would include the structures of the drone. It would also include the network protocols that guide the movement of drones and control from the base station. It would also concern the algorithms, mathematical, trajectory movement and programming aspects of drone. Such a study would aid in the development of my research paper.

Also, under the same research methodology, the environmental impacts that would affect drones shall be studied. All these researches would require positivist research paradigm because they are scientific and are based on facts or reality as it is. Since positivist paradigm is objective and is based on world knowledge as well as objective reality, it becomes a man concern for the study of the technical aspects of drones. Also, the positivist paradigm research is effective in this paper in explaining the causes of how the drone behaves as based on laws which yield predication out of generalization. Such characteristics of generalization and universal laws – which concern any technical instrument – are inherent in positivist research paradigm. (Creswell, 2009).

On the other hand, the critical approach shall be used in explaining the society view concerning drones. It is one of my goal to identify the usefulness of drones in e-commerce. Such usefulness would depend on the society and its view on drones. If they have a positive attitude concerning drones, then the drone technology would be viable for use in the field of commerce. The reason of using the critical paradigm for this research is because it would explain the economic, political and social perception of the reality – our drone technology is the reality in this case. Even though scientifically the drone technology would prove viable and beneficial for use in the e-commerce, its use can be limited by the critical view of the society in terms of politics, economy and social views. The critical approach takes into consideration the reality which is linked to the society ideology. It is based on the realistic that the society ideology dictates. (Kivunja & Kuyini, 2017).

Data Collection Process and Method

Qualitative research

This is the form of research that would exploratory research. The use of this form of research is preferred because it would help me to understand the underlying options, motivations and reasoning concerning the use of drones. (DeFranzo, 2011). The qualitative data collection would help in explaining the concepts which are presented in this research paper. The following are the qualitative methods that would be use to collect data about the project.

1. Interviews.

This method of data collection shall be used by administering questions on the participant and recording their responses. The respondents are the commercial drone delivery owners as well as the targeted customers. The following are samples of the questions used in the interview.

The answer to these interview questions shall be analyze and the result shall be summarized into objective results which would confirm the argument of this research paper. (Adhabi, 2017). While conducting the interview, the interviewer shall be involved in listening and writing down the main points being presented by the respondent.

1. Questionnaires

Questionnaires would be used to collect data about the various opinions of the people towards the use of drones. Questionnaires would help the respondent to answer the questions at the pace he or she is willing to take. The information collected from the questionnaires would be useful in providing the information concerning the ideology of the users about drones. This would help the participant to depict the information concerning the use of drones. The following shall be a sample of the questionnaires that would be addressed to the customers and users of delivery drones for commercial purposes.