Logistics Reply is working on solutions for using drones in warehouse operations. Our main interest is in coordinating drones for their effective use in logistics. Whilst drones are ideal for
outdoor operations (e.g. for yard management, last mile delivery), we believe they can be utilized for
indoor operations as well (inventory check/stock taking).
OUR PROJECT
Our project focuses on optimising and automatising some intralogistics flows: the drone will receive a batch of inventory check tasks and will perform them in autonomy. The logistic goals we want to achieve are to improve accuracy with better efficiency but at a lower cost.
ADVANTAGES
There are many advantages to using drones to accomplish these tasks in the warehouse: usually stock checks are performed manually, with many people walking around in the plant counting the stock, usually after freezing the daily business. A huge number of resources are required.
With drones, we can
automate the process, thereby
reducing the risk of injury for people, and drones can work all day (three shifts). With drones you
reduce downtimes when operations must stop, and you can also implement night stock checks during the whole year operation, thus gaining a better inventory accuracy all year long. An advantage that is worthy of note is the
avoidance of repetitive operations: People will move from jobs involving repetitive tasks to high value ones, because the repetitive tasks will be carried out by drones.
AN INTEGRATED SCENARIO
We strongly believe that the right use of drones in a warehouse is to support people’s tasks:
Human and Machine cooperation!
The integrated scenario we are working on is a stock taking procedure with both involved: define the warehouse tasks per zone and execute them with drones and humans, one at ground level the other at higher levels.
It is the human’s flying eye! The drone is the personal assistant of a man, operating at a higher level position, performing inventory processes autonomously.