Advances in Drone Applications for Last-Mile Delivery Operations
A special issue of Drones (ISSN 2504-446X). This special issue belongs to the section "Innovative Urban Mobility".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 7
Special Issue Editors
Interests: IoT-based logistics systems; smart logistics; UAV-assisted logistics
Interests: production planning and control; supply chain management; logistics management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: supply chain management; trans-portation planning; manufacturing logistics; revenue management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: interfaces between supply chain management (SCM) and information technology (IT); urban logistics and intelligent transportation systems (ITSs); e-commerce; healthcare management; internet of things and its applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The increasing use of drones for logistics is reshaping the way goods are transported and delivered. Among these emerging applications, last-mile delivery represents one of the most promising yet challenging frontiers.
It addresses the most complex segment of the supply chain where efficiency, speed, and sustainability are most critical. The rapid growth of e-commerce, healthcare logistics, and urban delivery services has accelerated interest in drone-based solutions capable of overcoming traffic congestion and reducing carbon emissions.
Despite significant advances in drone hardware and autonomous flight control, major challenges remain in realizing reliable and scalable last-mile operations. These include route optimization, packaging and payload, energy management, drone station and storage integration (e.g., Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems, AS/RSs), insurance and risk assessment, and regulatory compliance for urban airspace. Furthermore, the convergence of AI-driven planning, digital twins, and multi-modal logistics coordination is opening new frontiers for intelligent and sustainable drone logistics systems.
The aim of this Special Issue is to collect original research articles and review papers that provide insights into the latest scientific and technological advances in drone-based last-mile delivery. The scope aligns closely with Drones, which emphasizes UAV development, applications, sensing, control, and integration into society and industry.
This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link the following themes:
- Route and fleet optimization for last-mile drone delivery;
- AI-based dispatching, scheduling, and real-time control algorithms;
- Multi-modal logistics systems combining drones with ground vehicles;
- Design and operation of drone stations, hubs, and AS/RS integration;
- Applications to disaster or emergency management;
- Regulatory, economic, and environmental impact assessments;
- Energy management, battery modeling, and endurance optimization;
- Payload design, packaging, and goods protection mechanisms;
- Insurance and safety management;
- Demonstration cases and pilot implementations of drone delivery.
We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.
Prof. Dr. Yoon Seok Chang
Prof. Dr. Ilkyeong Moon
Prof. Dr. Chulung Lee
Prof. Dr. Taesu Cheong
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Drones is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- drone delivery
- last-mile logistics
- (AI-based) planning & scheduling
- AS/RS integration
- Packaging
- payload management
- energy efficiency
- insurance
- sustainability
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