Edge4Drone: Managing Landings and Takeoffs in High-Density Distribution Centers

Managing high-density drone landings and takeoffs in urban aerial delivery systems is a challenging, time-critical operation. To bridge existing gaps, we propose and classify eight edge-based solutions and evaluate their performance through high-density airspace simulations encompassing all flight phases. These solutions extend the previously proposed Drone Edge Management System (DREMS) with static and dynamic dronepad allocation strategies and various control levels, including more dynamic strategies. The results demonstrate that proper sequencing significantly reduces collision rates and enhances dronepad utilization. As a contribution, we underline the importance of giving complete control to DREMS during landings and takeoffs and prioritizing landings in dynamic allocations. These insights increase operational efficiency and safety under high request rates and pave the way for more robust and efficient drone delivery systems, highlighting the potential of intelligent sequencing and adaptive control mechanisms.