Delivering tomorrow today: The role of cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence in drones in shaping new business models

Abstract

Drone delivery services, wich enable faster and more efficient deliveries, reduce costs, minimize environmental impacts and increase satisfaction, have revolutionized global logistics services. Despite these advantages, there are still obstacles to consumers' acceptance of these service, so it is necessary to understand their motivations. This study evaluates how acceptance of the technology influences the perceived usefulness of drone delivery services and the intention to adopt them, considering consumer attitude as a mediating factor. A total of 1108 answers were collected from Portuguese citizens and the Partial Least Square method was applied to a proposed research model. The drone delivery service in Portugal is not yet available in logistics chains. As such, the participants in this study do not yet have an opinion based on experience already carried out. The results indicate that the perceived usefulness of drone delivery services influences consumer attitudes and intention to use them. The technological and task characteristics of drone parcel delivery services positively influence consumers' perceived usefulness of this service. It was also found that consumers are more willing to adopt these services if they are perceived as useful. From the perspective of technology acceptance model (TAM) theory, this study brings empirical insights to extend the literature to drone parcel delivery service technology, and a new model for consumer acceptance of this service is proposed. This study is pioneering in the Portuguese context. Some practical implications are left to help companies and policymakers in faster introducing these services worldwide, namely in Portugal.