In the Media

Research by the University of Washington says even fleets of drones paired with trucks may be the most efficient system. 

Barbara Ivanov promotes and facilitates practical research results, both as Director of the Urban Freight Lab at the University of Washington (UW) and as Chief Operating Officer of the Supply Chain, Transportation, and Logistics Center.

Delivery by drone sounds cool and futuristic, but when it comes to being environmentally friendly, does it really beat a truck drop-off? It depends, according to researchers from the University of Washington.

Drones emit less carbon dioxide than trucks when they don’t have to go very far for delivery or when there are fewer recipients, or both, University of Washington engineers have found.

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

A new University of Washington study has revealed that making deliveries with drones is better for the environment than using trucks.

In a new study carried out by transportation engineers at the University of Washington, researchers compared the carbon dioxide emissions of delivery drones against trucks when both were being used to deliver packages. Which is better for the environment? The answer is different than what you might expect.

Delivering packages with drones can reduce carbon dioxide emissions in certain circumstances as compared to truck deliveries, a new study from University of Washington transportation engineers finds.

A new study from University of Washington researchers indicates that drone delivery may indeed lead to a lower carbon footprint — if it’s done properly. “I was amazed at how energy-efficient drones are in some contexts,” said Anne Goodchild, who led the research.

Delivering packages with drones can reduce carbon dioxide emissions in certain circumstances as compared to truck deliveries, a new study from the Urban Freight Lab finds.

Delivering packages with drones can reduce carbon dioxide emissions in certain circumstances as compared to truck deliveries, a new study from University of Washington transportation engineers finds.

Delivering packages with drones can reduce carbon dioxide emissions in certain circumstances as compared to truck deliveries, a new study from University of Washington transportation engineers finds.

University of Washington researchers have found that delivering packages with drones can help reduce carbon emissions in comparison to delivery by truck.

“Trucks compete better on heavier loads, but for really light packages, drones are awesome,” said author Anne Goodchild.

Barb Ivanov talks with CBS about the ease of online ordering and the goals of the Urban Freight Lab to reduce freight congestion.