The accelerated growth of online shopping and the need for quick last-mile delivery have accelerated research interest in autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) delivery systems. This detailed review systematically examines the state-of-the-art in drone-based delivery systems, integrating recent breakthroughs in system architectures, route optimization algorithms, energy management strategies, and IoT-enabled operational frameworks. Based on the critical evaluation of scholarly articles from 2016 to 2025 across IEEE, ACM, and logistics research journals, this review finds three main system setups: single depot facilities, networked multiple depots, and support station-based systems. The paper evaluates key technological elements such as GPS autonomous flight navigation systems, web order management systems based on Node.js and MongoDB, Crossflight flight control systems, and Raspberry Pi 4-based companion computing.
This review offers researchers and practitioners a unified understanding of existing capabilities, implementation issues, and areas of future research required for large-scale deployment of autonomous drone delivery systems within urban and rural logistics networks.