Design of hospital delivery networks using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Otero Arenzana, Alejandra
Escribano Macias, Jose Javier
Angeloudis, Panagiotis
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being increasingly implemented in a range of applications. Their low payload capacity and ability to overcome congested road networks enables them to provide fast delivery services for urgent high-value low-volume cargo. This work investigates the economic viability of integrating UAVs into urban hospital supply chains. In doing so, a strategic model that determines the optimal configuration of supporting infrastructure for urgent UAV delivery between hospitals is proposed. The model incorporates a tailored facility location algorithm that selects an optimal number of hubs given a set of candidates and determines the number of UAVs required to fulfill total demand. The objective is to minimize the total cost of implementation, computed as the sum of generalized, battery, vehicle, and hub establishment costs. The model is applied to a case study based on the establishment of a UAV delivery network for deliveries between National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in London. A baseline scenario is also developed using current NHS vehicles for delivery. Results demonstrate that UAV-based delivery provides significant reductions in operational costs compared with the baseline. Furthermore, the analysis indicates the location of hubs is more significant to the solution optimality than any increase in range or payload.
Date Issued
2020-05-01
Date Acceptance
2020-03-21
Citation
Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2020, 2674 (5), pp.405-418
ISSN
0361-1981
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Start Page
405
End Page
418
Journal / Book Title
Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
Volume
2674
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
© National Academy of Sciences:
Transportation Research Board 2020. The final, definitive version of this paper has been published in Otero Arenzana, A., Escribano Macias, J. J., & Angeloudis, P. (2020). Design of Hospital Delivery Networks Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Transportation Research Record by Sage Publications Ltd. All rights reserved. It is available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198120915891
Transportation Research Board 2020. The final, definitive version of this paper has been published in Otero Arenzana, A., Escribano Macias, J. J., & Angeloudis, P. (2020). Design of Hospital Delivery Networks Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Transportation Research Record by Sage Publications Ltd. All rights reserved. It is available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198120915891
Identifier
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0361198120915891
Subjects
0905 Civil Engineering
1205 Urban and Regional Planning
1507 Transportation and Freight Services
Logistics & Transportation
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2020-04-23