Route Optimization via Environment-Aware Deep Network and Reinforcement Learning

Vehicle mobility optimization in urban areas is a long-standing problem in smart city and spatial data analysis. Given the complex urban scenario and unpredictable social events, our work focuses on developing a mobile sequential recommendation system to maximize the profitability of vehicle service providers (e.g., taxi drivers). In particular, we treat the dynamic route optimization problem as a long-term sequential decision-making task. A reinforcement-learning framework is proposed to tackle this problem, by integrating a self-check mechanism and a deep neural network for customer pick-up point monitoring. To account for unexpected situations (e.g., the COVID-19 outbreak), our method is designed to be capable of handling related environment changes with a self-adaptive parameter determination mechanism. Based on the yellow taxi data in New York City and vicinity before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, we have conducted comprehensive experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of our method. The results show consistently excellent performance, from hourly to weekly measures, to support the superiority of our method over the state-of-the-art methods (i.e., with more than 98% improvement in terms of the profitability for taxi drivers).

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Spatial Paradigms in Road Networks and Their Delimitation of Urban Boundaries Based on KDE

ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information ◽

10.3390/ijgi9040204 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 204 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yuying Lin ◽

Xisheng Hu ◽

Mingshui Lin ◽

Rongzu Qiu ◽

Jinguo Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Data ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Critical Role ◽

Road Networks ◽

Spatial Data Analysis ◽

Easy Method ◽

Study Region ◽

Entire Study ◽

Depth Analysis

An in-depth analysis of urban road network distribution plays a critical role in understanding the urbanization process. However, effective ways to quantitatively analyze the spatial paradigms of road networks are still lacking, and few studies have utilized road networks to rapidly identify urban areas of a region. Thus, using a fast-developing region in the south-eastern costal region of China, Fuzhou City, as a case, we introduced kernel density estimation (KDE) to characterize road networks and quantified the area’s spatial heterogeneity using exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) and semivariance analysis (SA). The results show that there is an uneven spatial distribution of the networks both at the regional and downtown levels. At the regional level, there is a conspicuous polarization in the road distribution, with the KDE being much higher in the urban areas than in the rural areas; at the downtown level, the KDE gradually decreases from the center to the periphery. Quantitatively, the ranges of the spatial dependence of the networks are approximately 25 km for the entire study region and 12 km for the downtown area. Additionally, the spatial variations vary among different directions, with greater variations in the northeast–southwest and the southeast–northwest directions compared with the other directions, which is in line with the urban sprawl policy of the study area. Both the qualitative and quantitative results show that the distribution of road networks has a clear urban–rural dual structure, which indicates that road networks can be an active tool in identifying the urban areas of a region. To this end, we propose a quick and easy method to delimit urban areas using KDE. The extraction results of KDE are better than those of the index-based built-up index (IBI), indicating the effectivity and feasibility of our proposed method to identify the urban areas in the region. This research sheds new light on urbanization development research.

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Urbanization and Increasing Flood Risk in the Northern Coast of Central Java—Indonesia: An Assessment towards Better Land Use Policy and Flood Management

Land ◽

10.3390/land9100343 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 343

Author(s):

Wiwandari Handayani ◽

Uchendu Eugene Chigbu ◽

Iwan Rudiarto ◽

Intan Hapsari Surya Putri

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

River Basin ◽

Spatial Data ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Landsat Imagery ◽

Flood Management ◽

Spatial Data Analysis ◽

Northern Coast ◽

Flood Events ◽

Central Java

This study explores urbanization and flood events in the northern coast of Central Java with river basin as its unit of analysis. Two types of analysis were applied (i.e., spatial data and non-spatial data analysis) at four river basin areas in Central Java—Indonesia. The spatial analysis is focused on the assessment of LULC change in 2009–2018 based on Landsat Imagery. The non-spatial data (i.e., rural-urban classification and flood events) were overlaid with results of spatial data analyses. Our findings show that urbanization, as indicated by the growth rate of built-up areas, is very significant. Notable exposure to flood has taken place in the urban and potentially urban areas. The emerging discussion indicates that river basins possess dual spatial identity in the urban system (policy- and land-use-related). Proper land use planning and control is an essential instrument to safeguard urban areas (such as the case study area) and the entire island of Java in Indonesia. More attention should be put upon the river basin areas in designing eco-based approach to tackle the urban flood crises. In this case, the role of governance in flood management is crucial.

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ESDA (Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis) of Vegetation Cover in Urban Areas—Recognition of Vulnerabilities for the Management of Resources in Urban Green Infrastructure

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12051933 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 1933

Author(s):

Ana Clara M. Moura ◽

Bráulio M. Fonseca

Keyword(s):

Data Analysis ◽

Population Density ◽

Spatial Data ◽

Green Infrastructure ◽

Vegetation Cover ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Spatial Behavior ◽

Spatial Data Analysis ◽

Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis ◽

Local Index

From the mapping of urban vegetation cover by high-resolution orthoimages, using IR band and NDVI classification (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), added to three-dimensional representation obtained by LiDAR capture (Light Detection and Ranging), the volumetric values of vegetal cover are obtained as a base to construct spatial analysis in the district of Pampulha, in Belo Horizonte, investigating the role it plays in the neighborhood. The article aims to analyze the relationship between vegetation cover, income distribution and population density, as a support to urban environmental quality management. It applies Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) to identify the presence of clusters and patterns of spatial distribution and to examine spatial autocorrelation. The results confirm the concentration of vegetation cover in areas of high income and lower population density but the main contribution of the study is the use of a method to analyze the spatial behavior of this distribution. Calculating Moran global index and local index (LISA), these spatial combinations are mainly used to identify transformation pressures, which may result in the definition of priorities for public actions and the construction of proposals for parameterization of vegetation cover to support plans related to green infrastructure in urban areas.

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Analisis Distribusi Serangga Tanah Jalan MT Haryono dan Tlogomas Malang

Biota ◽

10.20414/jb.v10i2.3 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 139-150

Author(s):

Hasan Zayadi ◽

Nurul Jadid Mubarakati

Keyword(s):

Spatial Data ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Spatial Data Analysis ◽

Shade Trees ◽

Ecosystem Research ◽

H Index ◽

Attribute Data ◽

Paratrechina Longicornis ◽

Soil Insects ◽

Number Of Individuals

Vegetation in urban areas can be viewed, as compensation for environmental change due to urbanization of plant diversity affecting the diversity of animals in an ecosystem, the loss of plant species will disrupt the food webs in the ecosystem. Research on the diversity of soil insects found in shade trees species is still not widely done. The purpose of this study were to identify the types of soil insects found in shade trees along Dinoyo and Tlogomas roadside in sub-district of Lowokwaru, Malang and to characterize spatial distribution of soil insect species found in shade trees along Dinoyo and Tlogomas roadside in sub-district of Lowokwaru Malang by using GIS application. Sampling was conducted at two different locations (MT Haryono and Tlogomas Road). Soil insect analysis was calculated using Shannon-Wiener (H') index at different sites. Variables measured were Relative Frequency (FR) and Relative Abundance (KR), while mapping Spatial descriptions. Distribution of soil insects was done by stages in spatial data analysis including digitization, attribute data, map overlay, and map output results. The results of this study obtained the number of species of soil insects as many as 14 species with a total of 287 individuals. Soil insects most commonly found were family Formicidae, the species of Momorium destructor with the number of individuals as much as 87 individuals, and Paratrechina longicornis as many as 86 individuals.

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Exploring regional and urban clusters and patterns in Europe using satellite observed lighting

Environment and Planning B Urban Analytics and City Science ◽

10.1177/2399808318788567 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 47 (4) ◽

pp. 553-568 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vassilis Tselios ◽

Demetris Stathakis

Keyword(s):

Spatial Data ◽

Economic Activity ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Regional Analysis ◽

Spatial Association ◽

Cell System ◽

Spatial Data Analysis ◽

Urban Structure ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Nighttime Lights

We explore regional and urban clusters and patterns in Europe by using satellite images of nighttime lights and by employing Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis. We map Defense Meteorological Satellite Program nighttime lights data onto the nomenclature of territorial units for statistics III, Local Administrative Units II and pixel (i.e. 1 km2 grid cell system of Europe) level and apply global and local statistics of spatial association. Under the assumption that nighttime light data are a good proxy for economic activity, the analysis at regional level shows that the regions of global cities and megacities and their surrounding areas are hot spots of high economic activity levels. The regional analysis also reveals the polycentric hierarchical structure of Europe. Using the case studies of the regions of London and Île -de -France, the analysis at the urban level reveals the different urban structure of these two global regions and identifies the functional urban areas of London and Paris.

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Study on the Level and Type Identification of Rural Development in Wuhan City’s New Urban Districts

ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information ◽

10.3390/ijgi9030172 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 172 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Liang Jiang ◽

Jing Luo ◽

Chunyan Zhang ◽

Lingling Tian ◽

Qingqing Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Development ◽

Spatial Data ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Socioeconomic Development ◽

Spatial Differentiation ◽

Principal Component ◽

Spatial Data Analysis ◽

Balanced Development ◽

Urban Districts

A quantitative analysis of rural development is required to comprehend the spatial differentiation of a rural area and promote rural sustainable development under the pressure of urbanization and industrialization, especially areas with dramatic changes in rural socioeconomic development of China and other developing countries. Taking Wuhan as the case study, this paper developed an index system including rural settlement, land, industry and human settlement environment for evaluating the level of rural development. Then, using the exploratory spatial data analysis, the principal component analysis and the cluster analysis, this paper analyzes the spatial differentiation and correlation and categorizes the types of rural development. The results are as follows. (1) The spatial differentiation of the level of rural development in Wuhan City’s new urban districts is obvious and the areas with a high level of rural development are mainly distributed at the intersection of the new and central urban areas and gradually decrease outward. (2) There is a significant spatial agglomeration of the developed rural areas and the structure of the spatial change in these areas resembles a certain continuity, specifically a circle of “central heat surrounding cold”. (3) Rural development in the new urban areas can be divided into the following five types: the ecological leisure type, the traditional farming type, the balanced development type, the industrial-and-agricultural mixed type and the industrial promotion type. The corresponding development path is proposed in combination with different types of rural development to provide a theoretical basis and decision-making reference for rural revitalization.

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Urban Ageing in Europe—Spatiotemporal Analysis of Determinants

ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information ◽

10.3390/ijgi9070413 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 413 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Karolina Lewandowska-Gwarda ◽

Elżbieta Antczak

Keyword(s):

Economic Development ◽

Data Analysis ◽

Spatial Data ◽

Urban Areas ◽

The Elderly ◽

Spatiotemporal Analysis ◽

Population Ageing ◽

Spatial Data Analysis ◽

Men And Women ◽

Level Of Economic Development

The aim of this study was to identify determinants of the population ageing process in 270 European cities. We analyzed the proportion of older people: men and women separately (aged 65 or above) in city populations in the years 1990–2018. To understand territorially-varied relationships and to increase the explained variability of phenomena, an explanatory spatial data analysis (ESDA) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) were applied. We used ArcGIS and GeoDa software in this study. In our research, we also took into account the spatial interactions as well as the structure of cities by size and level of economic development. Results of the analysis helped to explain why some urban areas are ageing faster than others. An initial data analysis indicated that the proportion of the elderly in the population was spatially diversified and dependent on gender, as well as the size and economic development of a unit. In general, elderly individuals were more willing to live in larger and highly developed cities; however, women tended to live in large areas and men in medium-sized to large urban areas. Then, we conducted the urban ageing modelling for men and women separately. The application of GWR models enabled not only the specification of the city population ageing determinants, but also the analysis of the variability in the strength and direction of dependencies occurring between the examined variables in individual cities. Significant differences were noted in the analysis results for specific cities, which were often grouped due to similar parameter values, forming clusters that divided Europe into the eastern and western parts. Moreover, substantial differences in results were obtained for women and men.

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OPERATIONAL SAFETY AND OPERATOR MANAGEMENT TO ENABLE THE USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (UAS) AS GEOMATICS TOOLS

10.4995/cigeo2021.2021.12724 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Norberto Vera ◽

Israel Quintanilla ◽

Jordi Vidal ◽

Beatriz Fernández

Keyword(s):

Spatial Data ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Service Providers ◽

Data Gathering ◽

Unmanned Aircraft ◽

Point Of View ◽

Unmanned Aircraft Systems ◽

Civil Aviation ◽

Aircraft Systems ◽

Regulatory Constraints

Potential civil applications of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, have risen steeply duringthe last decade, mainly due to their versatility and capability of spatial data gathering. Nonetheless, real use of UAS isquite restricted nowadays, primarily due to safety and regulatory constraints. This multidisciplinary project aims to performspecific safety assessments using the SORA methodology adopted by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) anddevelop documentation and procedures for operators to follow, complying with all required safety and regulatoryrequirements. As a result, DEURPAS-UPV is the first Spanish drone operator belonging to a university to be authorizedby Spanish civil aviation agency (AESA-Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea), to perform drone flights in urban areas, incontrolled airspace and during the night. In addition, DEURPAS-UPV has performed the first authorized experimentaltransport operations using drones in Spain. The results from safety assessment and designed procedures have beensuccessfully applied to the operation of Safety and Emergency service providers, such as Valencia Local Police Corps andthe Valencian Emergency and Safety Response Agency (AVSRE - Agencia Valenciana de Seguridad y Respuesta a lasEmergencias). Overall, this project has served as an enabler for more complex and safer UAS operations, from theoperator’s point of view, which will help break the barriers related to the use of these aircraft, with huge potential ingeomatics applications.

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