Strategic Planning and Deployment of Aerial Assets

Abstract

The rapid deployment of fleets of small, uncrewed aircraft (drones) for tasks like package delivery or search-and-rescue in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster are some of the most vital and common applications of advanced air mobility. Recognizing that successful drone missions depend on pre-established, well-positioned bases and efficient task allocation, this work presents a generalizable model for base positioning and routing in diverse applications. The proposed model prioritizes choosing bases that both maximize operational coverage and enable rapid responses to high-demand areas. Additionally, the framework integrates a vehicle routing component to optimize drone flight paths for efficient task completion in the tactical portion of drone-based operations; this component is the primary focus of this work. In addition to the theoretical formulation, the models are validated through case studies examining post-flooding search-and-rescue in the Iwate prefecture of Japan and package deliveries in the Austin, TX metropolitan area.