| dc.description.abstract | Widespread adoption of UAVs to replace some traditional fright modes (e.g., trucks and vehicles) could reshape the energy system and reduce carbon emissions by decreasing the total energy demand and by shifting a portion of the demand for fuel to electricity. However, the environmental impacts of UAV delivery remain unclear. A literature review was firstly carried out to summarize the current findings on UAV delivery and its environmental impacts. Subsequently, an LCA study with a scope focusing on the production and the use phase of UAV delivery using a fixed-wing UAV was conducted. Three functional units tailored for the UAV delivery operation were modeled- 1tkm delivery, 1km delivery and 1 year of operation. Diverse results were obtained for each functional unit. According to the results of 1tkm, it is concluded that UAVs should not be used as regular freight due to their low capacity. In terms of 1km delivery, UAVs can generate much less GHG emission compared to other transport modes due to their lightweight and high energy efficiency. UAVs can help to save a significant amount of carbon emissions compared to electric vehicles when delivering long-distance and lightweight medical samples. The difficulties and uncertainties regarding this study were further discussed in four aspects – UAV type & characteristics, assessment scope, inventory data and use phase. Based on the findings, suggestions were finally made for the UAV company and policymakers accordingly. | |