Review of current trends in the development of dedicated bvlos freight drones for short-haul-intra and extra-urban operations

Abstract

The development of dedicated Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) freight drones presents a transformative opportunity for short-haul logistics in South Africa, particularly in addressing the challenges within urban operations, such as congestion, crime and theft, decaying transport infrastructure, and rural inaccessibility. Globally, trends show rapid advancements in drone airframe design, hybrid propulsion systems, autonomous navigation, and regulatory frameworks, which are increasingly being tailored to support safe, long-range operations. In the South African context, these technologies can enable efficient intra-urban last-mile deliveries and extra-urban logistics, contributing to socio-economic development, decarbonisation, and supply chain resilience. Emerging use cases include medical supply deliveries, inter-facility industrial transport, food delivery and E-commerce logistics. However, achieving scale will require harmonised BVLOS regulations, public-private partnerships, investment in drone corridors and industrial and domestic vertiport infrastructure, and alignment with RSA Trade and Logistics Strategies, Digitization and 4IR initiatives, addressing Energy and environmental concerns, job creation and skills development. This review highlights the strategic potential of freight drones in RSA and underscores the need for coordinated national efforts to unlock their full value.