Mathematical model and hybrid meta-heuristic solution approaches for hub location problem with hybrid drone-airplane delivery mode

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Shiraz University of Technology

2 Faculty of Mathematics, Shiraz University of Technology, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

This study addresses the integrated hub location and drone delivery problem, an area with few5
prior investigations. We propose a bi-objective integer linear programming model to minimize total cost and total drone route time. A novel three-zone structure allows drone transfers between zones via cargo planes, enhancing realism and complexity. Drone capacities are categorized as light and heavy, improving allocation flexibility. Due to the model’s complexity, several metaheuristic algorithms including Genetic Algorithm, Differential Evolution, Simulated Annealing, and their hybrid versions (SA-GA and SA-DE) are developed and compared. Parameter tuning is performed using the Taguchi method. Computational experiments on various instances show that hybrid algorithms outperform classical methods and scale effectively for larger problems, providing a practical and integrated framework for hub location and drone delivery planning.

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Main Subjects

Journal of Mathematical Modeling

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 09 December 2025

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