Drone model for medical logistics delivery when tested at the 752nd anniversary of Sumenep Regency

ITS Campus, ITS News – Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) has done many collaborations and delivered beneficial innovations for the wider community. Some time ago, ITS with part of Dunia Usaha dan Dunia Industri (DUDI), Beehive Drones and Tinc (Telkomsel Innovation Center) had carried out operational trials of drones for the delivery of medical needs between islands and remote areas in Sumenep Regency.

Coinciding with the 752nd anniversary of Sumenep Regency, the trial, which was the ultimate attraction at the end of this event, was the first drone activity to send medical supplies between islands and remote areas.

Sumenep Regent Achmad Fauzi S.H., M.H. (holding a laptop) when he saw firsthand the drone test process for inter-island logistics delivery

This trial was born thanks to two collaborations; the collaboration of Beehive Drones with Tinc and the collaboration of Beehive Drones with the Department of Marine Transportation Engineering ITS. After this collaboration with ITS, a research proposal entitled “Design of an Inter-island and Remote Area Unmanned Operational System for Last-Mile Delivery (Rancangan Sistem Operasional Pesawat Tanpa Awak Antarpulau dan Daerah Terpencil Untuk Last-Mile Delivery)” was submitted.

It was this proposal that later received approval in the Matching Fund Program Wave IV 2021 by Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi (Ditjen Dikti), Kementerian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset dan Teknologi (Kemendikbudristek) and support from the Sumenep Regency Government.

ITS Vice-Rector IV Bambang Pramujati S.T., M.Sc.Eng., Ph.D. said he was proud of Beehive Drones, through his company PT Aero Global Innovation (AGI), for being one of the start-ups in the transportation technology sector under the guidance of ITS Maritime Innovation Cluster STP. “This shows the success of start-up development to produce new technology products that are beneficial to the community,” he explained.

ITS Vice-Rector IV Bambang Pramujati S.T., M.Sc.Eng., Ph.D. (holding a mic) when explaining how drones work for medical logistics delivery to Sumenep Regent Achmad Fauzi S.H., M.H.

Meanwhile, Beehive Drones Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Albertus Gian Dessayes said that drones are a practical answer to last-mile delivery problems in global logistics distribution. With this solution, logistics distribution with conventional transportation can be more helpful, because drones offer faster speed and practicality of logistics distribution systems.

This Alumni of the ITS Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Department explained that Sumenep Regency consists of numerous small islands on Madura Island.. Sumenep Regency itself relies on sea transportation for various mobility and distribution activities. “For this reason, we are thinking of combining this medical logistics drone with a ship in the last-mile delivery logistics channel,” he added.

From there, Beehive Drones decided to collaborate with the ITS Marine Transportation Engineering Department. The man familiarly called Gian explained that ITS, as the best maritime campus, is considered to have a more qualified understanding of sea transportation modes.

In line with Gian, the head of the research team from ITS, Ir Tri Achmadi Ph.D., explained that using drones can expand sea transportation services outside ports. He continued, this drone can be used for the final road segment directly to consumers or referred to as last-mile delivery for logistics needs from ships that have drone transportation.

The manager of the ITS Maritime Innovation Cluster STP explained that this drone would facilitate the inter-island goods logistics system without requiring ships to dock at the port, connected with land deliveries using trucks. “Here we save on last-mile delivery, so the concept is like an aircraft carrier, but we bring drones,” said the lecturer at the Department of Marine Transportation Engineering.

Tri explained, in this case, ITS Maritime Innovation Cluster STP’s role is to design a logistics operation system through sea transportation.. In these trials, he continued, the designed system has proven to be successful in overcoming the operation of several drones that carry out activities back and forth from the ship.

For its proficiency, Tri said that this medical logistics drone could fly at a speed of 70-100 kilometers per hour. Meanwhile, this drone has a flying range of up to 50 kilometers while carrying a maximum weight of 2 kilograms. “In total, we are targeting to be able to carry logistics weighing 10 kilograms with five drones,” he explained.

In addition, Tri appreciates the achievement of this medical logistics drone service which has succeeded in becoming the first drone service in Indonesia to get an official permit from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. “Looking forward, we are targeting that in the first half of 2022 this drone can be fully operational in Sumenep Regency,” he said.

In the end, Tri hopes that this drone can accelerate the penetration of the Covid-19 vaccination in the Sumenep Regency. On the other hand, it will continuously strive to develop existing technologies and systems to increase their effectiveness and benefits. “Essentially, from yesterday’s trial, the opportunity to use this drone has opened up to deliver small, essential, and urgent materials,” he concluded. (fw/ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Ferdian Wibowo