Fuzzy hyperheuristic optimization of a facilitated hub-and-spoke drone-enabled logistics network: a case study of Australia Post

Introduction The rapid growth of e-commerce has increased pressure on postal logistics networks, especially in remote regions. Methods This study proposes a fuzzy hyperheuristic genetic algorithm for optimizing a facilitated hub-and-spoke network with drone integration under uncertainty. Results The proposed approach improves service robustness by 25–35% and expands drone coverage to 93.4% of remote demand, with only a modest cost increase (8–12%). Discussion Results highlight the effectiveness of fuzzy optimization and adaptive hyperheuristics in designing resilient and cost-efficient postal logistics systems.