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

Autor: Fabio Borghetti, Claudia Caballini, Angela Carboni, Gaia Grossato, Roberto Maja, Benedetto Barabino
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
drones
last-mile delivery
urban logistics
city logistics
parcel delivery
smart city
environmental sustainability
social sustainability
transportation planning
road congestion
safety
safety
City logistics
Drones
Environmental sustainability
Last-mile delivery
Parcel delivery
Road congestion
Safety
Smart city
Social sustainability
Transportation planning
Urban logistics
Geography
Planning and Development
TJ807-830
Management
Monitoring
Policy and Law
TD194-195
social sustainability
Renewable energy sources
drones
city logistics
last-mile logistics
survey
GE1-350
environmental sustainability
urban logistics
parcel delivery
last-mile delivery
Environmental effects of industries and plants
Renewable Energy
Sustainability and the Environment
transportation planning
Environmental sciences
smart city
road congestion
Zdroj: Sustainability; Volume 14; Issue 3; Pages: 1766
Sustainability, Vol 14, Iss 1766, p 1766 (2022)
ISSN: 2071-1050
DOI: 10.3390/su14031766
Popis: 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.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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