The travelling salesman problem with drones

• Κύριος συγγραφέας: Μπαφούνη-Κοττά, Αναστασία
• Άλλοι συγγραφείς: Bafouni-Kotta, Anastasia
• Γλώσσα: English
• Έκδοση: 2023
• Θέματα: UAVs; Drone deliveries; Automation in urban logistics; Innovative logistics; Urban air mobility; Last-mile; Παραδόσεις με drone; Αυτοματοποίηση στα αστικά logistics; Καινοτόμα logistics; Αστική εναέρια κινητικότητα; Τελευταίο μίλι

Drones are a developing technology promising multiple benefits for delivery services. Especially for the last mile delivery problem in logistics, where the rapid growth of e-commerce and parcel delivery have made the last leg of the deliveries network less efficient over the years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can become the necessary strategic solution. Drones not only can fly over ground obstacles and avoid traffic, but they are also fast and precise. In contrast with regular means of transporting goods, UAVs are not restricted by infrastructure and can be an eco-friendly solution to small package deliveries. The present work focuses on the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) with Drones, which aims to solve the last mile delivery problem in logistics by combining traditional TSP with drone technology. The thesis examines the feasibility and effectiveness of using drones for small package deliveries by optimizing the route of 3 drones and one vehicle to deliver products to 10 customers using AIMMS software. The results of the study are expected to provide valuable insights into the benefits and limitations of using drones in last-mile delivery and offer recommendations for future implementations. A sensitivity analysis will also be conducted to assess the robustness and reliability of the proposed solution.