Drones for last mile logistics: Baloney or part of the solution?

Abstract

Road-based mobility is increasingly under pressure, with remarkable dynamics in the last decade in terms of pollution, congestion, speed delivery expectation etc. Such pressures point to a limitation of the efficiency of roadbased mobility for further economic and social development. A mainstream solution is considered by electrified, automated mobility-services based on the road transport. This article discusses an alternative future pathway based on an evolutionary economic perspective. The case study employed concerns “drones for last-mile logistics”. The analysis makes clear that current efforts to enhance efficiency by electrifying and automating the established vehicle technology are short-term solutions. The main concern in the article is to broaden the policy-supported search for future mobility solution. The disruption of efficiency limitations is the key to sustainable social and economic development.