Autonomous Control and Transportation of Underslung Load with Single and Dual Lift Helicopter Systems

This paper discusses the development of a single lift and dual-lift helicopter underslung load transportation system for practical applications. A control law is developed to damp the load swing and stabilize the oscillation while performing the transportation task. For the dual-lift system, the load transportation is achieved by using a load distribution controller, developed for this purpose, to maintain equal load distribution among the vehicles. The load damping and load distribution controllers require accurate measurement of load states, which is achieved through the design and development of innovative, simple, and lightweight sensors units namely, Load Tension Measurement Unit (LTMU) and Load Swing Measurement Unit (LSMU). LTMU sensor consists of a unique design that utilizes a flexi-force sensor, capable of measuring compressive load, for measurement of cable tension. The cable inclination in the longitudinal and lateral directions is measured by the LSMU sensor. These units are integrated with the helicopter autopilot for autonomous flight. The performance of the developed system is experimentally validated in the outdoor environment with single and dual-lift systems.

Traffic Safety Assessment of Highway Abnormal Indivisible Load Transport under Smoke-Free Regulations

A high proportion of truck drivers have smoking habits, especially for long-distance truck drivers, 90% of which have the habit of smoking. In recent years, some regulations are launched focus on the smoking behavior of drivers in the driving process. And the policies forces drivers to abandon the smoking habit. Abnormal indivisible load transport is crucial to the sustainable development of highway safety. In order to scientifically and effectively evaluate the traffic safety of highway abnormal indivisible load transportation, on the basis of extensive investiga of large transportation enterprises and management departments, combined with the method of UAV tracking and shooting video, the traffic variation features of outer profile size, load, dynamic characteristics and trajectory of abnormal indivisible load transport vehicles are obtained. Firstly, the meaning of abnormal in-divisible load transportation is defined. The traffic safety assessment of abnormal indivisible load transport is studied from the aspects of road accessibility and operation safety. Secondly, by ana-lyzing the jacking-up failure of abnormal indivisible load vehicles on convex curves, the sweeping space of the horizontal alignment, and rollover side slip conditions cross section, the road accessibility evaluation model of abnormal indivisible load vehicles under different highway alignment conditions is proposed. Thirdly, based on a certain binding strength, the constraint conditions for preventing the transverse and longitudinal sliding of the cargo are proposed, and the stability calculation method of the collapse point of the hydraulic trailer is determined. Finally, the feasibility and practicability of the safety evaluation method is verified by taking abnormal indivisible load transportation in Sichuan Province as an example. The achievements will lay a foundation for the necessary guidance of sustainable highway transport management. With the application of these technologies, the safety of abnormal indivisible load transport under smoke-free regulations can be guaranteed.

Key Benefits of Cloud-Based Internet of Vehicle (IoV)-Enabled Fleet Weight Management System

The fleet industry is flourishing at extreme levels with a wide acceptance of IoV-powered methods in various verticals. Fuel consumption, tire pressure readings, driver’s driving habits, cargo monitoring, load measurement, and many other applications have now become possible in the fleet sector with the implementation of IoV and cloud based applications. Most of the industries heavily rely on transportation to carry loads and other different industrial products. The overall cost of vehicle maintenance involves a significant portionof total operating costs. Vehicle weight plays a major role in transporting goods from one place to the other. Many places have stringent rules regarding load transportation that only a certain amount of weight is allowed through a particular passage or road. This could result in heavy fines if all the regulations are not met and create unwanted expenses. It also creates unnecessary delays in product deliveries, which hampers the reputation of businesses. Hence, a smart solution can be integrated with the fleet sector to avoid extra costs during transit. In this paper, we will highlight the key benefits of IoV-based fleet weight management smart solution for fleet sector

Study on Optimal Loading of Zero Load Cargo

In recent years, thanks to the transformation and upgrading of domestic consumption and the continuous improvement of logistics network, the total freight volume of China’s part-load logistics market is also increasing, among which urban logistics network plays an important role in part-load logistics enterprises. Reasonable and perfect urban network is helpful to reduce the total cost of market logistics and improve distribution efficiency. This paper introduces the problems existing in part-load logistics, studies the urban logistics model of part-load logistics enterprises, introduces three ways of part-load transportation, and analyzes the urban logistics model of part-load logistics enterprises. At the end of this paper, the above contents are briefly summarized.