Collaborative optimization of urban drone and public transit integration

The eicient and cost-effective delivery of goods ordered online poses a significant challenge in the field of logistics. Many companies are exploring the use of drone technology to streamline delivery times and expenses. In the context of last-mile deliveries, the deployment of drones represents a promising technology that offers environmental and economic advantages. This study focuses on last-mile delivery systems, where a fleet of drones operates in conjunction with public transportation to fulfill customer orders. To address this issue, the paper expands upon a mathematical model based on the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP). Furthermore, it presents a real-life scenario inspired by Stanfords transportation paradigm. The findings indicate that optimizing the sequence for visiting customers and public transportation stations has a substantial impact on both remaining power and time eiciency during drone deliveries. Moreover, leveraging public transport vehicles for recharging drones or approaching customers can reduce the required number of drones within service areas, thereby extending their operational lifespan. These results highlight the potential for using public transportation as a mobile charging station to save energy and improve package delivery efficiency in last-mile drone deliveries.