Critical Evaluation of Full Droneload (FDL) and Less-Than Droneload (LDL) in Drone-Based Last Mile Delivery

The choices associated with land-based freight transportation are determined by the characteristics of the freight itself as well as the shipper’s constraints that include capital and time. For light and small freight, parcel shipments are often adequate. On the other hand, large or heavy loads require the use of partial or full truckloads. Perishables require additional care but are readily accommodated through reefers or dry ice packages. Freight transportation includes middle and last mile delivery, which is the most expensive part of such delivery services. While middle and last mile delivery have traditionally been accomplished through road-based means with vans and trucks, the potential for drone-based delivery has recently gathered enough momentum. Drone-based delivery has several advantages over its road-based counterpart that include the avoidance of ground-based transportation altogether and the relative ease of coverage over rough terrains. Several companies already deliver orders through drones. With the increasing adoption of drones for middle and last mile delivery, critical evaluation of drone-based delivery with traditional truck-based delivery is necessary. We attempt to address this gap in extant published literature.