Acceptance of drone delivery is limited (not only) by noise concerns

Abstract

In recent years, civil drones have become increasingly present in the media and in everyday life. There has been a high level of interest in drone delivery from the very beginning, yet public acceptance of drone delivery still seems limited, with acceptance rates usually ranging from 30 to 40%. The present paper reports findings of a representative national study about the acceptance of civilian drones in Germany. Several factors limiting the support of drone delivery such as concerns about traffic safety, noise, and animal welfare are identified. In addition, effects of drone experience are discussed, showing all areas of concern being reported at higher rates by participants who had no experience with civil drones. For noise concerns however, among those reporting having experience with drones, a more detailed look into the kind of experience with drones revealed a significantly higher percentage of noise concern among those reporting having heard a drone compared to those who reported that they had not. Moreover, an effect of NIMBYism is confirmed in the context of drone delivery, as even among residents envisioning own usage of drones for parcel delivery, the overflight of the own home is frequently not agreed with. This particular effect is termed NOMOH (Not Over My Own Home). Finally, the need for regulation is discussed as well as potential measures to increase acceptance of drone delivery. Besides defining certain urban areas and time restrictions, installing means of noise control or providing tools for participatory noise sensing to residents can also be viable measures to increase public support. If the acceptance level among residents remains in the range of below one third, drone delivery will not become a successful service in western cities.