Abstract
This thesis analyses different types of UAVs and their applications to provide an approach to UAS airspace design. We focus on a concept of operations for a business to consumer package delivery service within an urban environment and use that to form the basis for a more detailed analysis. The city of Singapore was used as a context for inquiry. Environmental factors play a significant role in the study, including the weather analysis for the location selection of potential UAS ground stations and the noise pollution analysis around Singapore to address concerns about noise pollution from UAS operations. This thesis makes four contributions: (1) it provides an extensive use case analysis on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) operations to conclude its functional architecture; (2) it provides a concept of operations for a drone package delivery system in which primary consideration is given to minimize the impact of noise pollution over residential areas; (3) it provides citywide environmental analysis (rain and wind) as a foundation for drone port location selection; and (4) it simulated UAS operation of a prototyped drone package delivery system and maps its noise pollution impact at the ground level. The major conclusions of this study are that: (a) such systems can be designed to satisfy safety concerns by geo-fencing critical infrastructures such as airports; and (b) the impact of noise pollution can be concentrated over expressways and major intersections with corresponding relief over residential areas