Delivering supplies to Africans is a struggle because of the continent’s lack of roads and bridges.
Architect Norman Foster has proposed a solution. The Droneport project will carry cargo to remote areas by traversing mountains, lakes, rivers, and desert by unmanned aircraft, as World Architecture Community reports.
The drones can carry goods to places more than 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, away. The plan consists of two network services. The Redline will have smaller drones that will transport medical supplies, and the Blueline will be larger aircraft that will ship electronics, spare parts, and e-commerce.
The drones will land in structures called Droneports, which not only will store drones but also house health clinics, digital fabrication shops, and post and courier rooms.
The project is a collaboration between Redline partners led by Afrotech, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), the Norman Foster Foundation, and Foster + Partners.
Related Stories
| Dec 7, 2011
Autodesk agrees to acquire Horizontal Systems
Acquisition extends and accelerates cloud-based BIM solutions for collaboration, data, and lifecycle management.
| Dec 2, 2011
What are you waiting for? BD+C's 2012 40 Under 40 nominations are due Friday, Jan. 20
Nominate a colleague, peer, or even yourself. Applications available here.
| Nov 11, 2011
Streamline Design-build with BIM
How construction manager Barton Malow utilized BIM and design-build to deliver a quick turnaround for Georgia Tech’s new practice facility.
| Oct 24, 2011
Kolbe adds 3-D models of direct set windows to BIM library?
Beveled Direct Set SketchUp and Revit Models available.
| Oct 14, 2011
BD+C Survey on Building Information Modeling: The Good, the Bad, and the Solutions
In a recent survey conducted by Building Design+Construction, more than 75% of respondents indicated they currently use BIM or plan to use it. Respondents were also asked to comment on their experiences with BIM, what they liked and disliked about BIM, and what BIM-related advice they would give to their peers.
| Oct 12, 2011
BIM Clarification and Codification in a Louisiana Sports Museum
The Louisiana State Sports Hall of Fame celebrates the sporting past, but it took innovative 3D planning and coordination of the future to deliver its contemporary design.
