Route Optimization for Urban Last-Mile Delivery: Truck vs. Drone Performance

In urban environments, last-mile item delivery relies heavily on trucks, causing issues like noise pollution and traffic congestion. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) offer a promising solution to these challenges. This study compares the effectiveness of delivery using trucks versus drones. Two customer datasets, one clustered and one random, were used for testing. Route optimization involved four deterministic and four non-deterministic algorithms. The performance of these algorithms, considering the total distance traveled, was evaluated across different datasets and vehicle types. The top two algorithms were further assessed for environmental impact and cost efficiency. Battery consumption along the routes was also analyzed to gauge operational feasibility.