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Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are gaining increasing interest, among others, in parcel delivery. As this market grows, thorough analyses of their environmental impacts are essential for sustainability-oriented decisions. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a commonly used tool in such analyses. In this study, we used LCA to evaluate the environmental impacts of a delivery drone across its entire life cycle for 18 impact categories. A baseline scenario was defined and an extensive sensitivity analysis was conducted to investigate more parts replacement frequencies and electricity mixes. Results show that the climate change impact is 3.08 g CO2-eq/kg*km for the baseline scenario and 8.73 g CO2-eq/kg*km for a scenario with more frequent replacements. Lower, but still significant differences appear for different electricity mixes assumed for battery charging. Additionally, the choice of the LCA system model (cut-off or consequential) significantly alters the LCA results, particularly for end-of-life battery treatment. Batteries had a high environmental impact share in all analysed scenarios. Depending on the underlying assumptions, the charging electricity, frame, and rotor blades also exhibit significant environmental impacts. These findings highlight the importance of optimising battery use, implementing sustainable materials, and considering recyclable components to reduce the environmental impact of drone deliveries.
Aster et al. (Fri,) studied this question.