The Use of Drones for Last-Mile Delivery: A Numerical Case Study in Milan, Italy

Sustainability

Angela Carboni¹  Claudia Caballini¹  Benedetto Barabino²  Gaia Grossato³  Fabio Borghetti³  Roberto Maja³ 

[1] Department DIATI-Transport Systems, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy;Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture, Land, Environment and Mathematics (DICATAM), University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123 Brescia, Italy;Mobility and Transport Laboratory, Design Department, Politecnico di Milano, Via Candiani 72, 20158 Milano, Italy;

关键词: drones;    last-mile delivery;    urban logistics;    city logistics;    parcel delivery;    smart city;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su14031766

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The increasing use of e-commerce introduces major challenges for last-mile delivery, which is critical to ensure smooth functioning of supply chains. Besides the speed and cost of delivery, which are the most important factors for last-mile logistics, environmental and social sustainability factors are taking on an increasingly important role, especially in urban areas. In this perspective, last-mile delivery by drones could be a good choice both in terms of transport speed and sustainability. Being electrically powered, drones can reduce environmental impact; moreover, they enable the reduction of road congestion since they do not interfere with land infrastructures. The goal of this study is to analyse the viability of drones for last-mile delivery in the Italian city of Milan. A stated preference survey was carried out to assess end-user propensity towards drones. Using these results, a goods delivery service by drones was designed. Furthermore, a preliminary financial analysis was performed to evaluate the benefits for a company that would provide such a transport service. Findings show that last-mile delivery by drones can be successfully used to deliver small and light packages, reducing environmental and social impacts, and ensuring profits for the transport provider.

【 授权许可】

Unknown