Drones for last mile logistics: Baloney or part of the solution?

Abstract

Road-based mobility is increasingly under pressure, with remarkable dynamics in the last decade in terms of
\npollution, congestion, speed delivery expectation etc. Such pressures point to a limitation of the efficiency of roadbased mobility for further economic and social development. A mainstream solution is considered by electrified,
\nautomated mobility-services based on the road transport. This article discusses an alternative future pathway based
\non an evolutionary economic perspective. The case study employed concerns “drones for last-mile logistics”. The
\nanalysis makes clear that current efforts to enhance efficiency by electrifying and automating the established vehicle
\ntechnology are short-term solutions. The main concern in the article is to broaden the policy-supported search for
\nfuture mobility solution. The disruption of efficiency limitations is the key to sustainable social and economic
\ndevelopment.