Drones in Supply Chain

Course Content

10 Hours (1 Credits)

This course is designed to help participants understand the role of drones in supply chain management, emphasizing applications such as last-mile delivery, route optimization, and inventory management. Participants will explore drone regulatory compliance, and operational planning, through case studies and insights from research papers.

Supply chain and logistics managers, technology specialists in supply chain and logistics, and professionals involved in drone technology integration within supply chain functions and processes across various industry sectors.

  • Manufacturing
  • Retail
  • E-commerce
  • Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare
  • Logistics and Distribution
  • FMCG
  • To understand the basics of drone technology and its importance for various supply chain functions.
  • To explore the applications of drones across diverse domains, including last-mile delivery, healthcare, humanitarian crises, warehousing operations, and inventory management.
  • To understand the regulations governing drone operations in connection with supply chain activities.
  • To guide participants in adopting drone solutions within their organizations.
  • To analyse real-world case studies demonstrating successful applications of drone technology.
Lectures, case studies, quizzes, group exercises, and action learning projects.
Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:
  • Understand drone technology fundamentals and applications.
  • Assess the impact of drones on the supply chain processes and functions
  • Develop strategies for drone route planning and logistics.
  • Understand the importance of drone regulations
 
Prof. Veepan Kumar
  • Drones and the Future of Supply Chains: Revolutionizing Delivery and Logistics by John M. Graettinger.
  • Drone Technology for Everyone: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Using Drones by James Waycuilis.
Module (Duration) Session No. Topics Readings/ Case Study
Module 1
(3 Hours)		 1-3

Introduction to Drone

  • Overview of drone technology
  • Drone market and trend
  • Types of Drones and their Characteristics
  • Impacts of drones on supply chain and logistics
  • Challenges and opportunities of drone technology for supply chain and logistics
  • Drone manufacturing companies
  • Dayarian, I., Savelsbergh, M., & Clarke, J. P. (2020). Same-day delivery with drone resupply. Transportation Science, 54(1), 229-249.
  • Smith, A., Dickinson, J. E., Marsden, G., Cherrett, T., Oakey, A., & Grote, M. (2022). Public acceptance of the use of drones for logistics: The state of play and moving towards more informed debate. Technology in Society, 68, 101883.
  • Askerbekov, D., Garza-Reyes, J. A., Ghatak, R. R., Joshi, R., Kandasamy, J., & de Mattos Nascimento, D. L. (2024). Embracing drones and the Internet of drones systems in manufacturing–An exploration of obstacles. Technology in Society, 78, 102648.
Module 2
(2 hours)		 4-5

Role of Drones in Supply Chain operations

  • Challenges of traditional supply chain
  • Benefits of drone adoption
  • Key application areas for Drone
    1. Inventory management
    2. Warehousing operations
    3. Healthcare
    4. Disaster relief and humanitarian aid
    5. e-commerce
  • Najy, W., Archetti, C., & Diabat, A. (2023). Collaborative truck-and-drone delivery for inventory-routing problems. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 146, 103791.
  • Garg, V., Niranjan, S., Prybutok, V., Pohlen, T., & Gligor, D. (2023). Drones in last-mile delivery: A systematic review on Efficiency, Accessibility, and Sustainability. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 123, 103831.
  • Lemardelé, C., Estrada, M., Pagès, L., & Bachofner, M. (2021). Potentialities of drones and ground autonomous delivery devices for last-mile logistics. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 149, 102325.
  • Ramadhan, F., Irawan, C. A., Salhi, S., & Cai, Z. (2024). The truck traveling salesman problem with drone and boat for humanitarian relief distribution in flood disaster: Mathematical model and solution methods. European Journal of Operational Research.
  • Eksioglu, S. D., Proano, R. A., Kolter, M., & Nurre Pinkley, S. (2024). Designing drone delivery networks for vaccine supply chain: a case study of Niger. IISE Transactions on Healthcare Systems Engineering, 14(3), 193-213.
Module 3
(3 hours)		 6-8

Drone route planning and optimization

  • Routes Planning and optimization
  • Optimal locations for charging stations
  • Drone scheduling problem
  • Battery management
  • Impact of Environmental factors such as wind, rain, snow, and temperature extremes on drone delivery
  • Route planning for collaborative truck and drone delivery
  • Najy, W., Archetti, C., & Diabat, A. (2023). Collaborative truck-and-drone delivery for inventory-routing problems. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 146, 103791.
  • Garg, V., Niranjan, S., Prybutok, V., Pohlen, T., & Gligor, D. (2023). Drones in last-mile delivery: A systematic review on Efficiency, Accessibility, and Sustainability. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 123, 103831.
  • Lemardelé, C., Estrada, M., Pagès, L., & Bachofner, M. (2021). Potentialities of drones and ground autonomous delivery devices for last-mile logistics. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 149, 102325.
  • Wang, X., Jiang, R., & Qi, M. (2023). A robust optimization problem for drone-based equitable pandemic vaccine distribution with uncertain supply. Omega, 119, 102872.
  • Boutilier, J. J., & Chan, T. C. (2022). Drone network design for cardiac arrest response. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 24(5), 2407-2424.
Module 4
(2 hours)		 9-10

Role of Regulations for Drone operations

  • Regional and international drone regulations
  • Compliance strategies and safety standards
  • Challenges related to the future of drone regulations
  • Nelson, J., & Gorichanaz, T. (2019). Trust as an ethical value in emerging technology governance: The case of drone regulation. Technology in Society, 59, 101131.
  • Dolata, M., & Schwabe, G. (2023). Moving beyond privacy and airspace safety: Guidelines for just drones in policing. Government Information Quarterly, 40(4), 101874.
  • Clothier, R. A., Greer, D. A., Greer, D. G., & Mehta, A. M. (2015). Risk perception and the public acceptance of drones. Risk analysis, 35(6), 1167-1183.