It’s the drone era and while it is commonly used for recreation, drones are also used in the courier industry.  Along with that is the debate as to whether drones are more cost-efficient than traditional truck and van courier services.

So which is which and what is best for you?

Determining the answer to cost-efficiency is barely discussed,  but there are differences that can give light on how each works, thereby unraveling the more cost-efficient option that works bestl with the environment.

In a transportation research,  studies revealed that although drones tend to

emit lower carbon dioxide pollution than truck deliveries,  this is only most applicable when drones won’t have to travel long distances.  They are quite simply not suitable for any great distance.

In fact,  there are also advantages in using courier services that rely on eco-friendly delivery vans particularly when the route requires many stops or long distances.   Furthermore, drone deliveries are only cost-efficient for light packages.  Carbon benefits are diminished as the package weight increases because of the additional energy that drones require to stay up in the air with a heavy load.  It is doubtful if drones will ever be able to fully fulfill a courier requirement.

According to senior author Anne Goodchild, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, “Flight is so much more energy-intensive — getting yourself airborne takes a huge amount of effort.  So I initially thought there was no way drones could compete with trucks on carbon dioxide emissions.”

She also added, “In the end, I was amazed at how energy-efficient drones are in some contexts.  Trucks compete better on heavier loads, but for really light packages, drones are awesome.”  The main issue here is that the drone cannot personally deliver a package to your front door nor can it interact with the recipient.

Drones Impact on Wildlife

However, the impact of drones is not just limited on carbon pollution–one also has to look into the effects that it has on wildlife.

In a 2015 study on black bears in Minnesota,  it is revealed that there is a significant increase of up to 400% in the heart rate of bears when they are near a drone.  In humans, this is equivalent to riding a double-corkscrew roller coaster.

Aside from bears, drones have also been known to cause agitation in birds, the earth and all its inhabitants must be taken into consideration when choosing a drone/truck delivery method.

Choosing the more environmentally-friendly courier service between drones and truck deliveries is a matter of determining which one has the lesser impact on the environment.  And as eco-friendly courier technologies emerge, we have to stay on the lookout on the developments that are constantly evolving.

To learn more information about the impact of drones vs. truck courier services, read more.