Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Route Research Articles

Optimal trajectories for UAV three-dimensional path planning using a hybrid ABC-RRT* algorithm

Path planning is critical to the effective operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in complex environments. It is crucial to quickly determine the best path for UAV navigation. In this paper, a novel approach for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) path planning is presented by combining the robust artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm with the flexible rapidly exploring random tree star (RRT*) algorithm. The main objective of this approach is to ensure effective obstacle avoidance. The proposed hybrid algorithm, ABC-RRT*, is compared with several current approaches, namely Improved ABC (IABC), ABC, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), ABC-PSO and RRT. ABC-RRT* combines the exploration capabilities of ABC with the route optimization capabilities of RRT* to efficiently determine the best trajectories for UAVs by balancing exploration and exploitation. ABC integration increases the effectiveness of exploration, while RRT* excels at identifying shorter paths and adapting to different conditions. ABC-RRT* has been shown to outperform other methods in terms of path length and flexibility when traversing complicated terrain with many obstacles. This was proven by extensive simulations in various situations. The results demonstrate the effectiveness, fast convergence and robustness of ABC-RRT* and make it a viable solution for obstacle avoidance of UAVs in practice. The fusion of ABC and RRT* for obstacle avoidance shows great potential for UAV route planning and offers remarkable advantages compared to conventional approaches.

Технологии и методы планирования перемещения БПЛА по маршрутным точкам

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) occupy a special place in our world. Their ability to navigate along set routes opens up prospects in various fields. The purpose of the study is to review and analyze navigation systems and UAV routing algorithms, methods that allow UAVs to follow the route with high accuracy. GPS and inertial navigation (INS) systems that provide accurate location determination are being investigated. The capabilities of sensor systems — cameras, lidars and ultrasonic sensors — are analyzed to detect obstacles and adjust the trajectory; voxel maps for three-dimensional modeling of the environment and methods of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM); algorithm A* (A-star); genetic routing algorithm, potential-based obstacle avoidance algorithms and RRT. Practical significance: the use of these methods and technologies can significantly improve the safety and accuracy of UAV routing, the ability to navigate autonomously in complex and dynamically changing landscapes. In conclusion, the advantages and limitations of navigation approaches and technologies are discussed; the importance of integrating sensor systems and SLAM methods to increase the autonomy and efficiency of UAVs; directions for further research.

About the Problem of Drone Routing

Introduction. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are attracting considerable interest in a variety of areas, such as logistics, defence, search and rescue, agriculture, manufacturing and environmental monitoring. The effective use of these flexible resources requires the development of models and methods that ensure the creation of safe and efficient flight routes for UAVs. The purpose of the paper is to study the current state of UAV routing problems, including an analysis of existing research in this field and systematization of scientific approaches and algorithms as well as the formalization of some practically important problems. Results. A classification of UAV routing problems has been proposed based on various criteria, including the number of UAVs, the number of base locations, UAV recharging constraints, additional conditions, evaluation criteria, and the constancy of conditions. An analysis and classification of UAV routing problems are presented, highlighting the significance of these problems in various fields such as logistics, defense, agriculture, and others. Meaningful formulations of several interrelated practical UAV routing problems have been proposed, and their formalization has been carried out in the form of specific mathematical models. Conclusions. The development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is a dynamic and relevant area with a wide range of applications. The paper systemises scientific approaches and algorithms for optimising UAV routes, analyses and classifies routing problems according to various criteria. The proposed classification allows for a better understanding of the structure of the problems and the selection of appropriate methods for solving them. The main result is the formalisation of a number of practical UAV routing problems in the form of mathematical models, which allows developing effective algorithms for solving these problems, increasing the efficiency of UAVs in various fields, such as logistics, defence and agriculture. Keywords: route optimization, unmanned aerial vehicle, drone, mathematical model, flight resource, combinatorial optimization, monitoring, logistics.

Optimising Drone-Assisted Logistics for Urban Last-Mile Delivery: An Overview of Applications, Methodologies, and Emerging Trends

The rapid evolution of drone-assisted logistics for urban last-mile (ULM) delivery has garnered significant interest from both academia and industry. This article presents a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art research and practical implementations of ULM systems, focusing on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the final stage of goods and parcel delivery in urban environments. The applicability of UAV-based logistics across various contexts, including urban and rural areas, is examined, with real-world case studies highlighted to demonstrate practical uses. Key methodologies and models employed in optimising UAV routing and operations are discussed, particularly those that enhance the efficiency and reliability of ULM. The critical advantages and limitations of drone-assisted last-mile logistics are analysed, providing insights into the operational, regulatory, and technological challenges. The discussion is further expanded by addressing emerging trends in UAV technology, as well as innovations in drone deployment strategies and the evolving regulatory landscape. In conclusion, potential theoretical advancements and future applications of ULM systems are outlined, with an emphasis on integrating drones into broader logistics networks and smart city frameworks. The insights offered aim to guide future research and practical developments in this rapidly advancing field.

C-SPPO: A deep reinforcement learning framework for large-scale dynamic logistics UAV routing problem

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) stands as a burgeoning electric transportation carrier, holding substantial promise for the logistics sector. A reinforcement learning framework Centralized - S Proximal Policy Optimization (C-SPPO) based on centralized decision process and considering policy entropy (S) is proposed. The proposed framework aims to plan the best scheduling scheme with the objective of minimizing both the timeout of order requests and the flight impact of UAVs that may lead to conflicts. In this framework, the intents of matching act are generated through the observations of UAV agents, and the ultimate conflict-free matching results are output under the guidance of a centralized decision maker. Concurrently, a pre-activation operation is introduced to further enhance the cooperation among UAV agents. Simulation experiments based on real-world data from New York City are conducted. The results indicate that the proposed C-SPPO outperforms the baseline algorithms in the Average Delay Time (ADT), the Maximum Delay Time (MDT), the Order Delay Rate (ODR), the Average Flight Distance (AFD), and the Flight Impact Ratio (FIR). Furthermore, the framework demonstrates scalability to scenarios of different sizes without requiring additional training.

Fixed Automated stations location and UAVs routing problems in urban road Networks: A tailored Branch-&-price algorithm

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) serve as vital tools for collecting real-time traffic data, enabling rapid responses to events, and optimizing traffic management based on their cost-effectiveness, high flexibility, and wide coverage range advantages. The urban UAV cruising problem primarily focuses on selecting the locations of fixed automated station (FAS) and optimizing UAVs’ cruising routes. This paper introduces a strategy where UAVs can take off and land on different FASs to enhance urban UAVs’ cruising efficiency. Firstly, the problem is formulated as an integrated linear integer model (FU-ILP) which simultaneously determines the locations of FASs and the routes of UAVs. The objective is to minimize redundant cruising distance and cruising cycle time. The FU-ILP model takes into account UAV‘s flight capabilities, FAS’s signal coverage range, power requirements, and battery charging. Moreover, we design a tailored branch-and-price (TB&P) algorithm to decompose the FU-ILP model, which can reduce the variable scale for solving larger-scale cases. Finally, we test the model and the algorithm on the Sioux Falls Test Network. The TB&P algorithm improves computational efficiency by nearly 80%. Moreover, our strategy yields superior results compared to the strategy where UAVs must return to their take-off FASs for recharging. We also demonstrate that increasing the number of UAVs does not reduce redundant cruising distance in the whole network, but it can shorten the cruising cycle. These policy conclusions also apply to the case of Xiongan. This provides a basis for managers to calculate the minimum UAV’s configuration based on the cities’ actual cruising frequency requirements.

A Heuristic Routing Algorithm for Heterogeneous UAVs in Time-Constrained MEC Systems

The rapid proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) ground devices (GDs) has created an unprecedented demand for computing resources and real-time data-processing capabilities. Integrating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) emerges as a promising solution to bring computation and storage closer to the data sources. However, UAV heterogeneity and the time window constraints for task execution pose a significant challenge. This paper addresses the multiple heterogeneity UAV routing problem in MEC environments, modeling it as a multi-traveling salesman problem (MTSP) with soft time constraints. We propose a two-stage heuristic algorithm, heterogeneous multiple UAV routing (HMUR). The approach first identifies task areas (TAs) and optimal hovering positions for the UAVs and defines an effective fitness measurement to handle UAV heterogeneity. A novel scoring function further refines the path determination, prioritizing real-time task compliance to enhance Quality of Service (QoS). The simulation results demonstrate that our proposed HMUR method surpasses the existing baseline algorithms on multiple metrics, validating its effectiveness in optimizing resource scheduling in MEC environments.

Algorithms for Route Planning and Navigation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

A brief overview of the results of recent research published in open sources in the field of route planning and navigation algorithms for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) is presented. Works devoted to global and local planning of trajectories taking into account known and detected obstacles in flight, as well as issues of navigation of groups of drones, are considered. Various approaches are analyzed, including graph algorithms (A*, Dijkstra, Rapidly-exploring Random Trees), methods of data mining in real time, potential fields. Special attention is paid to work on the use of neural networks and machine learning, SLAM and multi-agent technologies for planning UAV routes. The advantages and disadvantages of the main groups of algorithms are considered. A conclusion is drawn about the prospects for using hybrid methods, as well as machine learning technologies, to build intelligent UAV traffic control systems.

Implementation of MIMO Radar-Based Point Cloud Images for Environmental Recognition of Unmanned Vehicles and Its Application

High-performance radar systems are becoming increasingly popular for accurately detecting obstacles in front of unmanned vehicles in fog, snow, rain, night and other scenarios. The use of these systems is gradually expanding, such as indicating empty space and environment detection rather than just detecting and tracking the moving targets. In this paper, based on our high-resolution radar system, a three-dimensional point cloud image algorithm is developed and implemented. An axis translation and compensation algorithm is applied to minimize the point spreading caused by the different mounting positions and the alignment error of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and radar. After applying the algorithm, a point cloud image for a corner reflector target and a parked vehicle is created to directly compare the improved results. A recently developed radar system is mounted on the vehicle and it collects data through actual road driving. Based on this, a three-dimensional point cloud image including an axis translation and compensation algorithm is created. As a results, not only the curbstones of the road but also street trees and walls are well represented. In addition, this point cloud image is made to overlap and align with an open source web browser (QtWeb)-based navigation map image to implement the imaging algorithm and thus determine the location of the vehicle. This application algorithm can be very useful for positioning unmanned vehicles in urban area where GNSS signals cannot be received due to a large number of buildings. Furthermore, sensor fusion, in which a three-dimensional point cloud radar image appears on the camera image, is also implemented. The position alignment of the sensors is realized through intrinsic and extrinsic parameter optimization. This high-performance radar application algorithm is expected to work well for unmanned ground or aerial vehicle route planning and avoidance maneuvers in emergencies regardless of weather conditions, as it can obtain detailed information on space and obstacles not only in the front but also around them.

Mathematical Optimization in Innovation Productivity: A Framework and A Case Study on UAV Border Patrolling in Türkiye

Purpose: In this paper, the potential of mathematical optimization (MO) in enhancing innovation productivity is explored. Innovation is a process that converts new ideas and methods into products and services, MO can contribute to innovation management by improving productivity across all stages, from pre-innovation to post-innovation. This paper establishes a connection between MO and innovation productivity while demonstrating an application for a post-innovation phase problem of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Methodology: A framework for incorporating MO into the design problems of innovation processes is developed. Additionally, a MO model is developed for a case study concerning UAV border patrolling in Türkiye. Findings: Computational experiments demonstrate MO's effectiveness in optimizing UAV routes and strategies, enhancing operational efficiency, and innovation productivity. Optimal recommendations and trade-offs among different mission considerations are obtained in 18 minutes on average (with a median of 5 seconds) over 210 runs. Originality: A link is established between MO and innovation productivity. An operations research problem is introduced for UAV operations in border patrolling in Türkiye. The codebase and data are openly provided for readers to apply the model in their research.

Integrated Host- and Content-Centric Routing for Efficient and Scalable Networking of UAV Swarm

Efficient and scalable networking is a key enabler of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) swarms, wherein multiple UAVs cooperatively execute complicated tasks. Despite the intermittent connections due to the UAV mobility, stable paths may exist temporally in periods like formation keeping, which is rarely considered or utilized in existing UAV routing designs. In this paper, we propose an integrated host- and content-centric routing (IHCR) mechanism to harness the advantages of both routing mechanisms. Specifically, the routing information of stable paths is reused in a host-centric manner to reduce the flooding for path exploring. In addition, the route failure detection and re-routing are content-centric to adjust to the topology dynamics. The challenges lie in the inherent contradiction between host-centric and content-centric routing mechanisms (e.g., naming spaces) and the tradeoff between path reusing and re-routing. To overcome these challenges, we appropriately incorporate node names into content names and then fully exploit reusable paths via time-based route failure detection and delayed forwarding. Packet-level simulation results show that IHCR increases the packet delivery ratio by 60.1%, and enlarges the achievable network scale by 4.2 times compared to state-of-the-art routing mechanisms.

OPTIMIZING UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE BASED FOOD DELIVERY THROUGH VEHICLE ROUTING PROBLEM: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THREE DELIVERY SYSTEMS.

In recent times, there has been a notable increase in interest surrounding the integration of Un-manned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology and vehicle routing problems (VRP) for package delivery purposes. While existing studies have explored various types of package deliveries utilizing VRP, limited attention has been given to on-demand food delivery. This study aims to develop a VRP model that incorporates practical constraints such as payload capacity and maximum flying range, with the primary objective of minimizing travel distance in food delivery operations. A comparative analysis is conducted among three delivery methods, including UAV delivery, to determine the most effective approach and assess the feasibility of each method. Through a case study analysis focused on a pizza delivery service in Sri Lanka, it was observed that implementing VRP in a motorbike delivery system resulted in reduced travel distance, time, cost, and CO2 emissions compared to the existing delivery system. Furthermore, the utilization of UAVs in conjunction with VRP yielded even greater improvements across all parameters. Based on a comprehensive cost analysis considering long-term operations, the UAV-based delivery system was identified as the most cost-effective method, followed by the VRP-incorporated motorbike delivery method. Although the VRP-incorporated motorbike delivery system exhibited a slightly higher average time per route compared to the existing method, the total travel time required to complete all routes remained lower. Consequently, the study concludes that the VRP-incorporated motorbike delivery system outperforms the existing delivery method for food delivery, with the use of UAVs incorporating VRP identified as the optimal delivery method among the three alternatives. The findings contribute valuable insights to the optimization of food delivery logistics, emphasizing the potential of VRP and exploring the feasibility of UAVs for sustainable and efficient long-term delivery solutions.

Multigene and Improved Anti-Collision RRT* Algorithms for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Task Allocation and Route Planning in an Urban Air Mobility Scenario.

Compared to terrestrial transportation systems, the expansion of urban traffic into airspace can not only mitigate traffic congestion, but also foster establish eco-friendly transportation networks. Additionally, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) task allocation and trajectory planning are essential research topics for an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) scenario. However, heterogeneous tasks, temporary flight restriction zones, physical buildings, and environment prerequisites put forward challenges for the research. In this paper, multigene and improved anti-collision RRT* (IAC-RRT*) algorithms are proposed to address the challenge of task allocation and path planning problems in UAM scenarios by tailoring the chance of crossover and mutation. It is proved that multigene and IAC-RRT* algorithms can effectively minimize energy consumption and tasks' completion duration of UAVs. Simulation results demonstrate that the strategy of this work surpasses traditional optimization algorithms, i.e., RRT algorithm and gene algorithm, in terms of numerical stability and convergence speed.

Determination of the effective swath of a plant protection UAV adapted to mist nozzles in mountain Nangguo pear orchards.

Plant protection unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become popular in mountain orchards, but due to the differences in planting structures, the chances of heavy spraying, missed spraying and pesticide drift are increasing. To mitigate the adverse effects of these phenomena, it is necessary to clarify the effective deposition range of aerial spray droplets. This study proposed an effective spray swath determination method for the effective spraying range of mountainous orchards with UAVs equipped with a mist nozzle (bilateral 1% coverage). This approach focused on exploring the effects of flight height (unidirectional flight modes of 2, 3 and 4 m), spray nozzle atomization performance (reciprocating flight modes of 20, 30 and 40 µm) and flight route (treetop flying and inter-row flying) on the spraying range in a mountain setting. In addition, the study analysed the relationship between the droplet-size spectrum and the effective swath position. The results showed that it is feasible to use the bilateral 1% coverage evaluation method to determine the effective spray swath of a UAV adapted with a mist nozzle for aerial operation in a mountainous Nangguo Pear orchard. With the increase in UAV flight height (2-4 m), the effective unidirectional spray swath also increased, and with the increase in atomization level (20-40 μm), the effective reciprocating spray swath showed a decreasing trend. Moreover, the average effective swath width measured by the UAV for treetop flight was greater than that measured for inter-row flight. The study also found that the proportion of small droplets (droplet size less than 100 µm) below the UAV route was lower (approximately 50%) than along the sides of the route (approximately 80%), and the spray swath was not symmetrically distributed along the flight route but shifted laterally by approximately 3 to 4 m in the downhill direction.

ПОТЕНЦИАЛ ГЕНЕТИЧЕСКИХ АЛГОРИТМОВ В ЗАДАЧАХ ПОКРЫТИЯ ТЕРРИТОРИИ ГРУППОЙ БЛА

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become key tools in automated area coverage tasks due to the fact that they are not limited by obstacles on the ground and are able to quickly complete tasks. However, when planning routes for UAVs covering an area, difficulties arise in finding optimal solutions due to the computational complexity of the problem. Therefore, when solving problems with a group of UAVs over large areas, heuristic algorithms are used to find coverage paths that are close to optimal. one popular algorithm for that is the genetic algorithm. The article studies the potential of using genetic algorithms in the context of solving the problem of covering an area using a group of UAVs. The article provides a review of methods for developing and optimizing modified genetic algorithms that take into account the unique features of the coverage problem. The characteristics of the genetic algorithm and the representation of chromosomes when solving the coverage problem are analyzed, depending on the different types of representation of territories. The article considers features of applying genetic operations to chromosomes that reflect the trajectory of the UAV, as well as the features of the task when working with a group of UAVs. In addition, it also discusses collision avoidance techniques in UAV swarm missions, their advantages and limitations.

IDENTIFYING THE POTENTIAL OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE ROUTING FOR BLOOD DISTRIBUTION IN EMERGENCY REQUESTS

This study is focusing on identifying the potential of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) routing for blood distribution in emergency requests in Sri Lanka compared to existing transportation modes. Capacitated Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Routing Problem was used as the methodology to find the optimal distribution plan between blood banks directing emergency requests. The developed UAV routing model was tested for different instances to compare the results. Finally, the proposed distribution process via UAVs was compared with the current distribution process for the objective function set up in the model and other Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) including energy consumption savings and operational cost savings. The average percentage of distribution time re-duction, energy consumption cost reduction, and operational cost per day reduction utilizing UAVs were determined to be 58.57%, 96.35%, and 61.20%, respectively, for the instances tested using the model highlighting the potential of UAVs. Therefore, the deficiencies in Sri Lanka's present blood delivery system can be addressed using UAVs' potential for time, cost, and energy savings. The ability to save time through the deployment of UAVs to the fleet during emergency situations plays a crucial role in preventing the loss of human lives.

A PAD-Based Unmanned Aerial Vehichle Route Planning Scheme for Remote Sensing in Huge Regions.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been employed extensively for remote-sensing missions. However, due to their energy limitations, UAVs have a restricted flight operating time and spatial coverage, which makes remote sensing over huge regions that are out of UAV flight endurance and range challenging. PAD is an autonomous wireless charging station that might significantly increase the flying time of UAVs by recharging them in the air. In this work, we introduce PADs to simplify UAV-based remote sensing over a huge region, and then we explore the UAV route planning problem once PADs have been predeployed throughout a huge remote sensing region. A route planning scheme, named PAD-based remote sensing (PBRS), is proposed to solve the problem. The PBRS scheme first plans the UAV's round-trip routes based on the location of the PADs and divides the whole target region into multiple PAD-based subregions. Between adjacent subregions, the UAV flight subroute is planned by determining piggyback points to minimize the total time for remote sensing. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme by conducting several sets of simulation experiments based on the digital orthophoto model of Hutou Village in Beibei District, Chongqing, China. The results show that the PBRS scheme can achieve excellent performance in three metrics of remote sensing duration, the number of trips to charging stations, and the data-storage rate in UAV remote-sensing missions over huge regions with predeployed PADs through effective planning of UAVs.

A Simulation Framework of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Route Planning Design and Validation for Landslide Monitoring

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as a highly efficient means of monitoring landslide-prone regions, given the growing concern for urban safety and the increasing occurrence of landslides. Designing optimal UAV flight routes is crucial for effective landslide monitoring. However, in real-world scenarios, the testing and validating of flight path planning algorithms incur high cost and safety concerns, making overall flight operations challenging. Therefore, this paper proposes the use of the Unreal Engine simulation framework to design UAV flight path planning specifically for landslide monitoring. It aims to validate the authenticity of the simulated flight paths and the correctness of the algorithms. Under the proposed simulation framework, we then test a novel flight path planning algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate that the model reconstruction obtained using the novel flight path algorithm exhibits more detailed textures, with a 3D model simulation accuracy ranging from 10 to 14 cm. Among them, the RMSE value of the novel flight route algorithm falls within the range of 10 to 11 cm, exhibiting a 2 to 3 cm improvement in accuracy compared to the traditional flight path algorithm. Additionally, it effectively reduces the flight duration by 9.3% under the same flight path compared to conventional methods. The results confirm that the simulation framework developed in this paper meets the requirements for landslide damage monitoring and validates the feasibility and correctness of the UAV flight path planning algorithm.

ANALYSIS OF EXTERIOR ORIENTATION PARAMETERS ON MONOPLOTTING PROCEDURE FOR AVOIDING OBSTACLES IN UAV REAL-TIME ROUTING

Abstract. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are adopted in different applications, such as mapping, logistics, and surveillance. For some applications, it is important to identify people or objects to be tracked in the image and define their coordinates in the object space. It can be done by using a photogrammetric process called Monoplotting. Moreover, by applying the Propagation of Variance and Covariance, the standard deviation from planimetric coordinates can be defined as an Exterior Orientation Parameter (EOP) function. This work evaluates the planimetric accuracy achieved using points defined in UAV images and the impact of EOPs precision. Two UAV images, the Digitals Surface Model (DSM) from the corresponding areas, the EOPs (X0, Y0, Z0, ω, φ, κ), and the platform/sensors characteristics were used for the experiments. Results showed that planimetric precision is low when using UAVs with a low-cost positioning system, especially if the points of interest in the image are far from the nadir. For UAVs with a high-precision positioning system, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) system is the one with a higher influence on the accuracy of planimetric coordinates, especially for oblique photographs (essential for UAV routing when avoiding obstacles). The impact of the IMU system precision increases in oblique photographs, this alerts to attention for UAV flight real-time routing guided by obstacles mapping using images.

Parcel consolidation approach and routing algorithm for last-mile delivery by unmanned aerial vehicles

The last-mile delivery by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), emerging from the online grocery retailing industry, has attracted much attention and interest from the scientific and industrial communities. In reality, the online retailing platform receives grocery orders and promises ultrafast delivery service to the customers via a two-echelon logistics and distribution network. The uncertain arrivals of the orders have a nontrivial negative effect on the performance of the whole delivery network, which has not been well studied in the literature. This paper investigates the parcel consolidation policy and the UAVs routes for the last-mile delivery from a transshipment site in a distribution network to the final customers. First, this study proposes a nonmyopia consolidation policy considering the upcoming grocery parcels with random arrival times to minimize the total delivery cost including the possible penalty cost due to the delivery delay to the customer. To make the problem tractable in the real-time computational setting, an approximation method based on Bayesian estimation is proposed to reduce a large number of random arrival scenarios of upcoming parcels to an expected scenario. The problem is then approached with a deterministic model under the expected scenario. Subsequently, a discrete particle swarm optimization (DPSO) algorithm is developed to solve the model. In the algorithm, a novel decoding method is designed to evaluate the particles with respect to the constraints of the load and battery capacities of a UAV and a neighborhood search based on reinforcement learning is developed to improve the quality of the particles in the searching process. The experimental results based on a case study validate the performance of the proposed parcel consolidation approach and the UAV routing algorithm. Some findings are given based on the variations of benchmarks with different distributions of customer locations. The approaches and insights in this paper could be used as a reference for last-mile delivery by UAVs.