USING DRONE TECHNOLOGY FOR LAST MILE DELIVERY WITHIN LIMITED DISTANCES AND TIMES

Abstract

               This research aimed to examine and compare the time-based delivery efficiency between unmanned aerial vehicle (Drone) technology and cargo trucks under different environmental conditions, and to identify strategies for optimizing Last Mile Delivery (LMD) operations. This study employs a mixed-method approach, integrating qualitative analysis with quantitative simulation. A Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model was developed using Arena software to simulate LMD operations within a 5-kilometer radius in Mueang Chonburi District, Thailand, over a one-year period. The findings indicate that under normal conditions, drones deliver approximately 24% faster than trucks. This advantage is attributed to the drone's use of displacement (direct-path) flight, which avoids ground-based traffic obstacles. However, drone performance is highly vulnerable to weather; operations are halted during heavy rain, whereas trucks remain resilient, albeit with delays. The simulation revealed that while drones exhibit high agility (WIP 28 times lower than trucks), the primary bottleneck in the overall logistics system is the "Order Work-In-Process (Order WIP)", which accumulated a maximum of 59,792 items. Therefore, optimizing LMD requires more than just a change of vehicle; it necessitates a hybrid transport model and, critically, the preliminary improvement of internal order management processes.