Intelligent baggage handling

A method comprising:

• determining dimensions and weights of pieces of luggage for a delivery;
• identifying dimensions of a cargo hold of an aircraft;
• subdividing the cargo hold into voxels;
• identifying a loading restriction for loading luggage into the cargo hold, wherein the loading restriction dictates that the baggage map include a predefined empty volume having specified dimensions in the cargo hold;
• generating, prior to loading of the aircraft, a baggage map for the delivery, wherein the baggage map indicates unique volumes occupied by each of the pieces of luggage, by assigning each piece of luggage to multiple voxels that the cargo hold has been subdivided into,
• wherein the baggage map is generated via an optimization technique that generates potential loadouts based on the dimensions and the weights and scores the potential loadouts via a scoring function having scoring criteria pertaining to fulfillment of the loading restriction, and wherein the optimization technique facilitates an estimate of at least one of the group selected from:
• flight calculations, takeoff calculations, landing calculations, trim drag, and tail load;
• directing baggage handlers to load the cargo hold of the aircraft in accordance with the baggage map, by illustrating locations at which to load the pieces of luggage within the cargo hold;
• and
• including in the baggage map an extra portion of empty space padding each of the pieces of luggage, in order to account for at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:
• handles and wheels.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method comprising:

• determining dimensions and weights of pieces of luggage for a delivery;
• identifying dimensions of a cargo hold of an aircraft;
• subdividing the cargo hold into voxels;
• identifying a loading restriction for loading luggage into the cargo hold, wherein the loading restriction dictates that the baggage map include a predefined empty volume having specified dimensions in the cargo hold;
• generating, prior to loading of the aircraft, a baggage map for the delivery, wherein the baggage map indicates unique volumes occupied by each of the pieces of luggage, by assigning each piece of luggage to multiple voxels that the cargo hold has been subdivided into,
• wherein the baggage map is generated via an optimization technique that generates potential loadouts based on the dimensions and the weights and scores the potential loadouts via a scoring function having scoring criteria pertaining to fulfillment of the loading restriction, and wherein the optimization technique facilitates an estimate of at least one of the group selected from:
• flight calculations, takeoff calculations, landing calculations, trim drag, and tail load;
• directing baggage handlers to load the cargo hold of the aircraft in accordance with the baggage map, by illustrating locations at which to load the pieces of luggage within the cargo hold;
• and
• including in the baggage map an extra portion of empty space padding each of the pieces of luggage, in order to account for at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:
• handles and wheels.