Drone logistics service point

Project Objective

The goal of the project is to design, procure, and implement a research and development infrastructure for drone logistics. The project consists of both a development component and an investment component.

The project focuses on building a research and innovation environment that enhances the adoption of advanced technologies. This RDI environment will support the creation and optimization of intelligent solutions for drone logistics supply chains, addressing the needs of service accessibility.

The first results of the project are expected to be presented in conjunction with the Oulu Housing Fair in the summer of 2025.

Project Activities

1. Background Research

Led by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the project will identify and evaluate various starting and destination points to form a comprehensive drone logistics network. Three main locations are:

Pekuri shopping block
Oulu Housing Fair area
Torinranta waterfront
Backup locations will also be explored in case of flight path disruptions.

2. Regulatory Approvals

Drone transport operations require airspace permissions in urban areas. This involves collaboration with Traficom, the City of Oulu, and land/property owners. Drone flights aim to be integrated through the U-Space urban air traffic management system.

3. Integration of Ground Robotics into the Transport Chain

Under the leadership of the University of Oulu (BISG, CWC), the project will study how UGVs (Unmanned Ground Vehicles) can be integrated into the logistics chain. The goal is to automate the movement of goods from shopping centers to drone launch points and potentially from drone landing points to final consumer destinations.

4. Piloting of Pre-commercial Drone Deliveries

Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk) will lead pilot tests involving pre-commercial logistics operations. Test group customers (e.g., Housing Fair residents) can order goods from participating vendors, delivered by drone. Most pilots will occur after the fair, but the technology and concept will be showcased during the event. A limited-order web portal will be created for selecting drone delivery for eligible products.

5. Evaluation of Pilots

Oulun Liikekeskus ry will lead evaluations of the pilots, in cooperation with Oamk, University of Oulu, and VTT. Evaluation criteria include cost-effectiveness, feasibility, risk assessment, and stakeholder feedback (vendors, test users, partners).

6. Development of Recommendations

Data and insights from the pilots will be translated into practical recommendations and improvements to support the integration of drone logistics into commercial operations.

7. Project Management

The project manager from Oamk oversees all administrative tasks, including meetings and reporting. Project and procurement managers will coordinate investments.

8. Project Investments and Responsibilities

Vertiports – City of Oulu
Drones and equipment – VTT
Airspace situational awareness systems – Oamk
Ground robotics and communication infrastructure – University of Oulu

Project Outcomes

The project will result in the creation and deployment of a “Drone Logistics Service Point” – a pre-commercial testing and piloting environment. It enables the delivery of a limited selection of goods from Oulu city center to the Housing Fair 2025 area using drone logistics.

Three vertiports will be built and implemented (by the City of Oulu) to serve logistics chains in specialty and retail sectors – located in the Housing Fair area, Torinranta, and the city center.

Additional investments include:

A heavy cargo drone for pre-commercial trials (VTT)
Ground robots to complement the logistics chain (University of Oulu)
A real-time situational awareness system for city airspace (Oamk)
The goal is to attract commercial drone logistics operators and foreign direct investment (FDI) to Oulu.

The RDI environment will remain in use for research and development after the project and is expected to serve as a platform for future initiatives.

A U-Space lower airspace usage plan for Oulu will also be created to support future urban air mobility development.

Quantitative outcomes will be verified through procurement documents and equipment, while qualitative success will be judged by the cargo transport capability within urban areas.

Each investment area will yield an implementation and application report
Two annual publications (total of four), such as articles in aviation media or academic journals
Project Impacts
The project supports the EU Regional and Structural Policy Programme goals: enhancing research and innovation capacity, promoting the adoption of advanced technologies, and utilizing opportunities linked to digitalization, data economy, and technological disruption.

The testing and development environment is expected to attract commercial actors to build drone logistics services in Oulu.

The project promotes the open deployment and scalability of RDI results, fostering business growth, especially at the regional level.

Expertise generated will remain available to project partners and stakeholders. Best practices will be disseminated to serve regional development needs in Northern Ostrobothnia.

Local businesses will benefit from the environment, which can support existing and growing operations. It helps ensure job and enterprise retention and regional economic growth.

The project will also raise awareness and public acceptance of drone logistics – a prerequisite for the widespread, commercially viable adoption of emerging technologies.

Drone sites at Pekuri and the Housing Fair area are highly visible and accessible to residents and visitors, supporting regional tourism and showcasing world-class local expertise.

Project Partners

Main coordinator: Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk)
Other partners: University of Oulu, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, City of Oulu, Oulun Liikekeskus ry, and local entrepreneurs (participating in the development phase)