Mapping the evolution of drone-based last-mile delivery: a bibliometric analysis with field insights from Colombia

The article combines a bibliometric analysis of 301 studies (2019–2025) with a survey of 70 Colombian logistics leaders. It identifies an annual scientific growth rate of 14.96 %, with emerging emphasis on sustainability, optimized routes, and hybrid truck-drone fleets. Respondents report key barriers: air-space regulation (80 %), limited payload capacity (65.7 %), insufficient infrastructure (64.3 %), and concerns about security, privacy, and high up-front costs. Integrating both approaches, the authors propose an urban pilot inspired by Milan, tailored to the Colombian context, profitable even at 50 % utilization and yielding a return above 90 % in the first year. They conclude that last-mile drone adoption demands clear regulatory frameworks, infrastructure investment, and risk-management strategies to build trust among users and operators.