Drones conquer the transport industry: Efficiency and sustainability in focus

The transport of goods has always been an important cornerstone of our highly globalized world. Already traceable in the early high cultures of human history, it has steadily intensified in the course of globalization – a process that will, in all likelihood, continue in the future.

But this means more and more goods, more and more complex transportation. To organize all this, it is essential that technical progress keeps pace with the intensification of goods traffic. Delivery drones could play a role here.

They have the potential to take on specialized tasks in certain areas of logistics. This way, they could significantly help expand the advantages of modern goods transport and limit the disadvantages.

In the transport of medical goods such as blood, vaccines, medications, first aid materials, and medical samples, drones are already, in certain cases, the transportation method of choice today. The unmanned aerial vehicles deliver these vital goods to remote or otherwise hard-to-reach areas. Notable examples include deliveries to disaster areas.

Medicine – overcoming obstacles via air

Among other things, they were deployed in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, when it was hit by hurricanes in 2017 and 2022. Drones also took over some vital transports after earthquakes in Haiti or Taiwan. It is not only about overcoming possible obstacles but also about getting medical goods to the people who need them as quickly as possible. Several postal companies in Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Greece, Singapore, and Australia have also conducted trials with drones.

They wanted to test the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of this type of postal delivery. For example, a corresponding trial was launched on the Scottish Orkney Islands to bring mail to remote communities. Until now, deliveries were made by ferry and were often slowed down by weather conditions. Drones are significantly faster in comparison.

How drones improve the CO₂ balance

The Greek Post has reached an agreement with the drone cargo company Dronamics to deliver shipments on the same day and facilitate access to postal services. The aim is also to reduce prices.

Experiments with drone transports have also been conducted in the retail sector. Google, Amazon, 7-Eleven, and Walmart have tested whether and how these little helpers can take over the delivery of goods – Google in Australia, Amazon, Walmart, and 7-Eleven in the USA.

If this method continues to gain traction, it could also improve the CO₂ balance of the sector. This is indicated by a study from the US-based "Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory" (LLNL).

The study found that delivering a small package by drone emits only about 0.42 kilograms of greenhouse gases, compared to around one kilogram for a truck. This represents an improvement of 58 percent. However, this value varies according to the study from region to region.

The amount of savings depends on the greenhouse gas balance of the local power grid over which the drones need to be charged. For example, the power grid in the US state of Missouri has a significantly worse balance than that in California.

Another area where drones could showcase their strengths is supply at sea. Corresponding tests have been conducted by the Danish shipping company Maersk and the Port of Rotterdam.

Ships at sea, which are usually supplied by small boats, were instead supplied by drones. The plan is to use this method to supply offshore structures with essential items as well.

A few years ago still wearily smiled at, delivery drones are now operating worldwide. They mainly transport medical goods to remote areas. | Image: E-Armins

In military operations

The use of drones for supply during military operations is being considered by the US Marine Corps. A suitable model for this purpose can automatically fly to a predefined destination and transport goods weighing up to 150 pounds over a distance of nine miles.

A research facility of the US Navy was significantly involved in the development of another model designed for long-distance transport from ship to ship and from ship to land. It is also supposed to withstand particularly difficult conditions, such as strong winds over open water.

Although the upper limit for the weight of the cargo is only 20 pounds, the UAV can cover distances of up to 25 miles at a stretch. On April 11, 2023, the US Department of Defense announced that it would provide eight million US dollars for 21 new delivery drones.

The new models are intended to deliver solid food, water, ammunition, weapons, and medical supplies. They are especially notable for their small size, allowing a drone to be easily carried by one person. The model is currently still in the development phase but is expected to be completed by 2025.

The American company Zipline boasts the world's largest drone delivery network. It supplies hospitals with medical aid goods.

Zipline's drones consist of three main components: a foam chassis, wings, and a battery unit. Two motors keep the drone airborne. The cargo is stowed in a compartment and dropped at its destination with a parachute.

In 2016, Zipline partnered with the government of Rwanda to build and operate a medical distribution center in the city of Muhanga. The East African country has a mountainous geography, poor roads, and a long rainy season. For this reason, an air transport system is more cost-effective and reliable than conventional road transport.

By May 2018, more than 7,000 units of blood had been delivered by drone, and by October 2020, a total of more than 70,000 medical deliveries had been carried out. In 2020, Zipline began delivering medical supplies in the U.S. state of North Carolina. By April 2024, the company had made more than one million deliveries. During this period, approximately 70 million miles were traveled and more than ten million products were delivered. The company Wing, founded by X (formerly Google X), began commercial drone deliveries in Christiansburg, Virginia, in October 2019.

Packages weighing up to three pounds were transported. As early as the fall of 2016, more than 1,000 meals had been delivered to students and staff at the technical university in Blacksburg, Virginia. Wing is also active in other regions of the world, such as the Australian cities of Canberra and Logan, as well as the Finnish capital Helsinki, and plans to further expand its field of activity.