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Shifting smaller-package delivery from trucks to drones results in a net savings of 5.7 percent of the overall energy used.

• We found that shifting 20 percent of delivery stops from trucks to drones would require 13 fewer truck routes, 468 fewer truck miles, and (assuming an efficiency of 10 miles per gallon) 46.8 fewer gallons of diesel fuel. The drone delivery would involve 1,550 drone trips, totaling 9,406 miles flown. Assuming a tilt-rotor fixed-wing design, other work in this project suggests a delivery drone fuel economy of 460 miles per gallon equivalent, allowing all the deliveries to be conducted with the energy equivalent of 20.4 gallons of diesel. This results in a savings of 26.4 gallons of diesel, for a net savings of about 5.7 percent.

Drones may be an energy-saving way to deliver light packages, although they are unlikely to replace trucks for heavier items.

• The savings come primarily from the fact that trucks are vastly heavier than drones. By using drones to deliver only the lightest packages, the deliverer is able to free the truck, with its greater weight and additional cargo, from the additional driving required to deliver that small package. Reducing the number of service areas also reduces the amount of driving required for the trucks.
• Drone energy use would be entirely electric. Depending on the sourcing of this power, it would be expected to have a much lower carbon footprint and to produce less local air pollution as well.