Optimization of Drone-Locker Delivery System
PI: Dr. Ahmed Ghaithan
CoI: Dr. Awsan Mohammed
CoI: Dr. Awsan Mohammed
The growth of e-commerce and the rising of customer expectations mandates efficient design and planning of last-mile logistics. This study presents a novel delivery network design for a locker-drone system that optimizes the integration of trucks and drones to improve delivery efficiency and reduce costs. A mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model is developed to optimize the delivery network and determine the locations for lockers, number of trucks, number of drones at each locker, and maintenance schedule. The model considers factors like drone range, locker and truck capacities, and maintenance. The study results will significantly impact the logistics and supply chain sector by streamlining the last-mile delivery process, especially in community and intra-facility contexts. It will offer a more cost-effective alternative to traditional delivery methods, thus benefiting both service providers and end-users.