Incorporating UAVs into urban logistics combinatorial optimization problems

With the significant advance in battery and propulsion systems in recent years, drones represent the future landscape of urban logistic systems. Drone delivery is efficient and environmentally friendly. Meanwhile, this delivery method also suffers from low payload capacity and short flight range. In this dissertation, the author explores the application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, into urban logistic combinatorial optimization problems. Specifically, this dissertation analyzes how the adoption of drones would improve the efficiency of the last-mile urban logistic system and how it can be used in specific scenarios such as post-disaster. This dissertation also explores how drones can deliver time-sensitive commodities such as food and medicine. By exploring the possibility of incorporating UAVs into the urban logistic system, this dissertation sheds some light on how this new technology will change people's lives in the foreseeable future.