This study investigates the optimization of urban parcel delivery by integrating logistics vehicles and onboard drones within a static road network. A centralized delivery hub is responsible for coordinating both modes of transport to minimize total vehicle operation costs and customer waiting times. A simulation-based framework is developed to accurately model the delivery process. An enhanced Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm is proposed, incorporating a multi-objective formulation to improve route planning efficiency. Additionally, a scheduling algorithm is designed to synchronize the operations of multiple delivery bikes and drones, ensuring coordinated execution. The proposed integrated approach yields substantial improvements in both cost and service efficiency. Simulation results demonstrate a 16% reduction in vehicle operation costs and an 8% decrease in average customer waiting times relative to benchmark methods, indicating the practical applicability of the approach in urban logistics scenarios.
Nazir et al. (Wed,) studied this question.