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This paper proposes two novel methods for non-recurrent congestion (NRC) event detection on heterogeneous urban road networks based on link journey time (LJT) estimates. Heterogeneity exists on urban road networks in two main aspects: variation in link lengths and data quality. The proposed NRC detection methods are referred to as percentile-based NRC detection and space-time scan statistics (STSS) based NRC detection. Both of these methods capture the heterogeneity of an urban road network by modelling the LJTs with a lognormal distribution. Empirical analyses are conducted on London's urban road network consisting of 424 links for the 20 weekdays of October 2010. Various parameter settings are tested for both of the methods, and the results favour STSS-based NRC detection method over the percentile-based NRC detection method. Link-based analyses demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods in capturing the heterogeneity of the analysed road network.

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<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> The traditional way of doing science has been changing with the recent movements on open science, open data and the world-wide spread of volunteer activities. With the help of technological advancements, in particular mobile technologies, do-it-yourself kits and free online education sources, ordinary citizens may contribute to scientific processes based on their interest and abilities. Citizen Science (CitSci) is an active research agenda which draws the interest of scientists from different disciplines. It investigates the various contributions that citizens could do to improve scientific process. These contributions are utilized in diverse areas ranging from biology to environmental monitoring to classification of galaxies, all of which have a spatiotemporal dimension. The emerging developments in spatial information science allow the public to understand their environment better and efficiently. In this way society would have the means to deal with complex modern problems including but not limited to water/air pollution monitoring and mapping a region after a natural disaster to aid relief and recovery efforts. In addition, there is a growing public demand for research projects involving CitSci; because such collaborative efforts can be critical to achieve sustainability goals. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview on the state-of-the art methods and applications where CitSci is a crucial component in different phases of disaster management, from environmental protection to risk analysis and aid provision. Use of CitSci methods in disaster situations can be vital for different reasons, such as acquisition of local and most current information, organization of help during emergency, development of instant rescue plans, accurate information dissemination, and monitoring of the post-disaster influences to the society and the environment. Open issues on the use of CitSci methods in disaster management, such as data quality, technical and management-related barriers, open-standards and interoperability, and volunteer engagement, will also be discussed.</p>

ABSTRACT:This vision paper addresses the challenges and explores the avenue of solutions regarding the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for transporting parcels in urban areas. We have already witnessed companies' delivering parcels using UAS in rural areas, but the challenge of utilizing them for an urban environment is eminent. Nevertheless, the increasing research on the various aspects of UAS, including their battery life, resistance to harsh weather conditions and sensing its environment foresee their common usage in the logistics industry, especially in an urban environment. In addition, the increasing trend on 3D city modelling offer new directions regarding realistic as well as light 3D city models that are easy to modify and distribute. Utilizing UAS for transporting parcels in an urban environment would be a disruptive technological achievement as our roads will be less congested which would lead to less air pollution as well as wasted money and time. In addition, parcels could potentially be delivered much faster. This paper argues, with the support of the state-of-the-art research, that UASs will be used for transporting parcels in an urban environment in the coming decades.