Transforming manufacturing with drones

The article explains how drones can help the manufacturing landscape perform in a better way

One of the newest ‘wonder- kids’ or a cynosure, in the domain of emerging technologies is ‘drones’. Let us get one thing out of the way, these amazing machines can not only fly but also walk and swim. Thanks to their wide-ranging potential, they are rapidly evolving into flying machines that provide not just a different view of the landscape in front of us but also a different approach to the problems it poses.

Although drones have literally democratised ‘access to the sky’, there are a variety of domains in which they can cause positive disruption. Manufacturing is one such domain. Known as an indicator of a nation’s growth trajectory, the arrival of Industry 4.0 and the IIoT has already initiated its overhaul.

Becoming efficient and productive

The manufacturing industry has always been at the forefront of reinventing its methods in pursuit of efficiency and productivity, and the next major ‘reinvention’ can be anticipated if one looks at the current major challenges such as net zero, supply chain disruption, safety, increasing labour costs, a shortage of talent, and higher costs of adoption of technologies. Let us look at how drones can be of help. Drones can step up to the challenge and address some of these issues to make life easier for management. When it comes to setting up realistic 'Net zero' objectives, one can employ the first two elements of the famous 5S methodology, 'Seiri' and 'Seiton'.

They refer to cleaning and uncluttering the workspace, which essentially means being more aware of the scope of the problem and gaining more insights into its spread.