Abstract
This study investigates the implementation of collaborative route planning between trucks and drones within rural logistics to improve distribution efficiency and service quality. The paper commences with an analysis of the unique characteristics and challenges inherent in rural logistics, emphasizing the limitations of traditional methods while highlighting the advantages of integrating truck and drone technologies. It proceeds to review the current state of development for these two technologies and presents case studies that illustrate their application in rural logistics. Building on this analysis, a collaborative path planning method is proposed, establishing a path optimization model and designing an enhanced simulated annealing algorithm. The effectiveness of this approach is validated through simulation experiments, which reveal that the collaborative delivery system for trucks and drones can significantly boost efficiency, lower costs, and improve service quality. In conclusion, the research findings and potential future research directions are discussed to offer theoretical insights and practical guidance for further innovations in rural logistics technology.