An Efficient Algorithm for Solving Collaborative Truck-Drone Parcel Delivery System Considering En-Route Launching and Recovery Points

The logistics industry faces significant challenges in keeping up with evolving demand and supply conditions, especially in urban areas. Traffic congestion during peak hours makes on-time delivery hard. Moreover, time-sensitive products, such as emergency blood and medicine, must be delivered to the customer at the desired time. Drones are a viable solution to urban logistics problems, as they offer several benefits for package delivery. Drones are resilient to traffic delays since they function independently of road infrastructure, unlike conventional vehicles. However, drones have capacity and other constraints; therefore, collaborating with a drone and a truck can make the delivery system more efficient. Although there has been significant research interest in developing truck-drone routing algorithms, a gap remains in developing models that allow for en-route drone launching points and recovery points. The prior research on truck-drone routing assumes that the truck can only reconnect with a drone at a customer location. This project will expand on the prior work to develop optimization models and algorithms to allow with en-route meet points. This added dimension has the potential to reduce truck vehicle miles and subsequently congestion. The solution framework will employ a dynamic programming-based algorithm for the initial solution and a synchronized drone dispatch algorithm to determine the launching and recovery points along the truck route. The proposed algorithm will be able to provide solutions for real-world large instances.

• Record URL:
  • https://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/efficient-algorithm-solving-collaborative-truck-drone-parcel-delivery-system-considering-en

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $74,600.00
• Contract Numbers:

  DOT 69A3552348319

  DOT 69A3552344814

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 
• Managing Organizations:

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 

  University of California, Davis

  1 Shields Ave
  Davis, California  United States  95616

  University of Southern California, Los Angeles

  University Park Campus
  Los Angeles, CA  United States  90089
• Project Managers:

  Cliff, Sydney

• Performing Organizations:

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 

  University of Southern California, Los Angeles

  University Park Campus
  Los Angeles, CA  United States  90089
• Principal Investigators:

  Dessouky, Maged

• Start Date: 20260101
• Expected Completion Date: 20260815
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Algorithms; Delivery service; Drones; Freight handling; Logistics; Routes and routing; Trucking; Urban areas
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01985686
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Center for Sustainable Transportation
• Contract Numbers: DOT 69A3552348319, DOT 69A3552344814
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Apr 14 2026 12:15PM