Our Journey to Aeromile

Our journey to Aeromile started with a mission to revolutionize last-mile delivery. Through research and innovation, we aspire to make Aeromile a symbol of efficiency and innovation in the logistics industry.

01: Finding the Problem

Inefficient Last-Mile Delivery

Living in the suburbs, we often witness the delivery drivers who frequently must walk back and forth to deliver small packages. Often, improperly parked delivery trucks block the flow of traffic, creating an issue for other drivers. This situation has led us to wonder how we could make package delivery more efficient, contributing to a more sustainable world.

Our Seamless Drone-Truck integration

05: Building the Models

In crafting our truck-drone integration, we prioritized precision and innovation. Openable roof panels on traditional delivery trucks, serving as drone access points, along with landing markers for precise tracking and specialized hook design for securely attaching small packages, underwent detailed iterations for optimal efficiency. Through a focused design process, we achieved a sophisticated, functional truck-drone integration.

06: Creating an Algorithm

Planning our AI Routing System

Our routing system has been intricately designed to chart the most efficient path between each stop. As the driver reaches a destination, the system dynamically assesses the package size. For smaller packages, drones are swiftly released for direct delivery, optimizing the overall process. In the case where larger packages require the driver's attention, the system seamlessly coordinates this dual-operation.

02: Conducting Market Research

Finding Opportunities to Improve

We conducted interviews with UPS drivers, reviewed academic publications, and supplemented our research with online data. We found that in America alone, over 20 billion packages are delivered to households annually, with approximately 40%-45% of these packages weighing less than 5 pounds. With such a large scale, improvement in last-mile logistics could significantly reduce both the human labor and the energy needed. Further insights from a UPS driver revealed that during peak seasons, two-person teams are often necessary: one to drive and the other to quickly deliver packages from a jump seat.

03: Thinking of a Solution

Trucks, Drones, and the power of AI

Eventually, our team decided to focus on creating both a truck-drone integration and an algorithm for delivery routing. We conducted thorough research on existing logistics companies and drone delivery solutions, and discovered that there were many FAA regulations blocking our path. However, there are already plans in motion to change many of these problematic FAA regulations, so we have decided that our company will be a plan for the future, once FAA guidelines on drones inevitably loosen.

04: Learning from the Best

Discussing our Plan with Industry Experts

We presented our ideas to the best experts in the industry, including the CEO of a drone delivery company and two researchers from MIT, who gave us feedback to further develop our ideas. They also gave us access to real-world data from deliveries, which is used in our algorithm.

Marketing and Finance

The market for last-mile delivery, a critical and expensive stage in the supply chain, is growing rapidly, valued at $79.9 billion in 2023, with an expected growth rate of over 8.1% from 2023-2030. Target customers are logistics companies dealing with high volumes of light parcels and emphasizing efficient deliveries. Key market needs include efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and same-day delivery. The business model involves strategic partnerships, charging for system onboarding, maintenance, and software subscriptions, and offering licensing opportunities.