Comparison of energy demands of drone-based and ground-based parcel delivery services

Kirschstein, T. · 2020

citation-level

This paper compares drone energy demand, including hover and wind, with diesel and electric trucks. It is a reference for the argument that a drone-only system is not automatically better in cities. The numerical tables were not recomputed.

A detailed drone energy model is introduced, and hover and wind are described as serious limits on range. In simulations serving the same customers from the same depot, switching to drones alone is not energetically worthwhile in most scenarios. Dense urban tours demand more energy than trucks, while long rural distances under moderate conditions can approach electric trucks.

The depot network is not re-optimized for drones. The study is not necessarily a full life-cycle assessment of electricity. Change the wind assumption and the advantage can move.