Quantitative and Comparative Analysis of Energy Consumption in Urban Logistics Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Selected Means of Transport

Anna Kwasiborska, Anna Stelmach () and Izabela Jabłońska
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Anna Kwasiborska: Faculty of Transport, Warsaw University of Technology, Koszykowa Street 75, 00-662 Warsaw, Poland
Anna Stelmach: Faculty of Transport, Warsaw University of Technology, Koszykowa Street 75, 00-662 Warsaw, Poland
Izabela Jabłońska: Łukasiewicz Research Network, Poleczki Street 19, 00-822 Warsaw, Poland

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-27

Abstract: Cities are moving towards sustainable development, which consists of tasks and challenges to improve the quality of life, and minimize energy consumption. The concept of sustainable mobility includes the choice of means of transport other than the car for all journeys, especially short distances, and for the delivery of goods. Due to the growing populations of cities, lack of free space, and high costs of building infrastructure for traditional means of transport, cities are looking for modern solutions that allow for the cheap, fast, and green transportation of people and goods. Urban air mobility is the answer to these problems, and uses eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle systems (UAVs). The article’s main purpose is to present an energy efficiency analysis using UAVs and electric scooters in the transport of takeaway food, which is a solution that fits into the zero-emission transport policy. The article presents the following research problem: which type of electric transport (scooters/UAVs) shows a lower demand for electric energy when delivering food from restaurants to individual customers? The analysis method was applied using the D’Andrea, Dorling, Figliozzi, Kirchstein, and Tseng energy models. The completed calculations were used to perform a comparative analysis of energy consumption for three adopted scenarios related to energy consumption by drones.

Keywords: UAVs; electric scooters; smart cities; sustainability analysis in urban context; urban logistics; urban air mobility; energy consumption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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