Drone Logistics and Profitability

Even though my last book on the environmental impact of drone flights is still not available, I am already working on a new book. I have received a lot of feedback, but above all many questions about profitability. Since the publisher has also expressed great interest in this topic, the new book will focus on economic viability. 

Over the past two years, I have examined thousands of deliveries of laboratory samples, blood, and other materials in many projects. I looked not only at the type of goods being transported, but also at transport weights, packaging requirements, compliance with the cold chain, and the integration of drone logistics into ground logistics. 

What are some of the most important findings of the investigations so far? 

• The potential net transport weights and ranges of most of the drones available are too low for economical operation.
• Packaging regulations and compliance with the cold chain are not observed or only inadequately observed.
• The necessary integration with ground logistics is underestimated.
• The changes to process chains required by the introduction of drone logistics are usually recognized too late. 

In terms of costs, it is clear that 

• the majority are opting for a demand-oriented logistics structure with the practice of using revenue from one service to subsidize another. Traditional logistics costs are usually only recorded as a total amount without being broken down into the different transport methods, routes, and means. Precise task-related costs per kilometre are rarely determined. 
• When determining the costs for drone logistics, process, fallback, and consumption costs are neglected in the vast majority of cases.
• Investments in licensing, equipment, or infrastructure are often not included in the ROI calculation.
• The costs of service readiness for drone logistics are underestimated.
• It is not recognized that time savings are not remunerated. 
• The proportion (value) of the imputed marketing and acquisition effects is overestimated.

With the evaluations of my previous project data, I can already calculate quite accurate statements about the costs incurred. However, I would like to expand the current model with further analyses. For this reason, I am still looking for laboratories, hospitals, but also “normal” companies that are considering introducing drone logistics. I am particularly interested in the methods of cost determination in logistics that are used in daily business operations. I would like to develop joint models for how drone logistics could be integrated and incorporate these into my publication. This exchange could therefore result in a win-win situation.

I look forward to hearing from you.