L.E.K. Consulting Predicts Drones to Handle 30% of Deliveries by 2040

L.E.K. Consulting’s latest report forecasts that drones could account for 30% of same-day deliveries by 2040 due to reduced costs from unmanned technology and network scale.

British consulting firm L.E.K. has recently released a research report predicting that by 2040, drones could handle up to 30% of same-day parcel deliveries. This projection is based on the significant cost reductions enabled by advancements in unmanned technology and network scale.

The report highlights the unique advantage of drones, which can take off and land vertically, requiring less space compared to traditional airplanes or helicopters. This feature could particularly benefit countries like Australia, where the drone industry is expected to generate billions of dollars.

Despite the promising outlook, the industry still faces challenges, including the need to establish sufficient market demand to make drone deliveries more cost-effective than traditional taxis or trucks, and the acceptance of drone flights over urban areas by communities.