Rapid Package Delivery: Comparing Speed and Emissions of Hitchhiking Drones on Transit Buses to Traditional Alternatives

Abstract

Rapid package delivery is an emerging form of commerce supported by increasing consumer demands and technology development, including package delivery drones. Drones are limited in their delivery range but can be extended through recharging infrastructure or by allowing the drone to “hitchhike” on vehicles such as public transit buses while en-route to or returning from the destination. We estimate delivery speed and marginal carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions for five different modes of rapid delivery: car, electric bike (e-bike), direct drone-only delivery, drone delivery with battery swapping/recharging infrastructure, and hitchhiking drones. We find in a San Francisco case study that delivery by car and recharging drones is faster than hitchhiking drones, which are faster than e-bikes. For CO₂ emissions, hitchhiking and recharging drones and e-bike delivery produce considerably lower CO₂ emissions than delivery by car. Results from these comparisons can inform decision makers and technology developers on the best environments and trade-offs associated with the hitchhiking operations concept.