Vehicle routing problems for drone delivery

Dorling, K., Heinrichs, J., Messier, G. G., & Magierowski, S. · 2017

full-text

This paper places multi-trip drone-only delivery in a model where battery and payload weight affect energy. It is a reference point for drone vehicle-routing work that is separate from the truck-collaboration line. The note is citation-level and does not claim that the full PDF was re-read for this edition.

It argues that existing vehicle-routing models are a poor fit for drones if they forbid multiple returns to the depot or ignore how weight changes energy use. Two problems are defined: minimize cost under a time limit, and minimize time under a budget. The authors also report an experimental observation that multirotor energy use was approximately linear in payload and battery weight.

Approximate linearity is a statement about their aircraft and test conditions. It should not be read as the energy curve of every commercial vehicle. Truck synchronization and separation from crewed aircraft are outside the model.