Advancing Smart City Healthcare Logistics: Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness of UAV-Based Medicine Delivery in Makassar, Indonesia

Rapid urbanization in Makassar hampers the achievement of SDG 3 on healthcare access due to pharmacy congestion. This study assesses the economic and operational feasibility of medical delivery using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). QGIS-based spatial analysis and an economic evaluation approach using secondary data on variables related to drone-based logistics were used to analyze data against a baseline of delivery services and motorcycle-based personal use. A potential hub, the sub-district office, served as the baseline variable for all three models evaluated. Results showed drone delivery achieved a B/C ratio of 11.795, significantly outperforming ground alternatives while reducing the average delivery time from 40 minutes to approximately 8 minutes. Drones demonstrated superior carbon efficiency (0.315 kg CO2eq/km) and remained economically resilient under a sensitivity test to a 50% price spike. Despite these advantages, implementation must consider the lack of local regulations and potential ecological impacts on bird migration routes.