This study investigates a vision-based autonomous landing algorithm using a VTOL-type UAV. VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) UAVs are hybrid systems that combine the forward flight capability of fixed-wing aircraft with the vertical take-off and landing functionality of multirotors, making them increasingly popular in drone-based industrial applications. Due to the complexity of control during the transition from multirotor mode to fixed-wing mode, many companies rely on commercial software such as ArduPilot. However, when using ArduPilot as-is, the software does not support the velocity-based GUIDED commands commonly used in multirotor systems for vision-based landing. Additionally, the GUIDED mode in VTOL software is designed primarily for fixed-wing operations, meaning its control logic must be modified to enable position-based control in multirotor mode. In this study, we modified the control software to support vision-based landing using a VTOL UAV and validated the proposed algorithm in simulation using GAZEBO. The approach was further verified through real-world experiments using actual hardware.

Vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones are increasingly recognized as an important solution for last-mile delivery in the food and beverage sector, owing to their rapid deployment capabilities and high operational flexibility. In particular, growing interest in drone delivery services has been observed among fast food and coffee franchises, where rapid delivery is essential due to the time-sensitive nature of food and beverage items intended for immediate consumption. Despite this trend, there remains a lack of research on the structural modeling of flight routes for VTOL drones operating under automatic flight conditions, and on the implementation of first-come-first-served (FCFS) delivery services utilizing predefined flight routes. Accordingly, this study comprehensively describes the operations for food and beverage delivery services using VTOL drones. In particular, it addressed the use of multiple drones to conduct FCFS-type multi-point delivery services along fixed routes suitable for automatic flight.

Vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) is a core feature of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are commonly referred to as drones. In emerging smart logistics, drones are expected to play an increasingly important role as mobile platforms. Therefore, research on last-mile delivery using drones is on the rise. There is a growing trend toward providing drone delivery services, particularly among retailers that handle small and lightweight items. However, there is still a lack of research on a structural definition of the VTOL drone flight model for multi-point delivery service. This paper describes a VTOL drone flight route structure for a multi-drone delivery service using rotary-wing type VTOL drones. First, we briefly explore the factors to be considered when providing drone delivery services. Second, a VTOL drone flight route model is introduced using the idea of the nested graph. Based on the proposed model, we describe various time-related attributes for delivery services using drones and present corresponding calculation methods. Additionally, as an application of the drone route model and the time attributes, we comprehensively describe a simple example of the multi-drone delivery for first-come-first-served (FCFS) services.