Drones in Warehousing: An Evolution through Time and Anticipation of Future Advancements

Drones have become a game-changer in the world of warehousing, revolutionizing the traditional supply chain landscape. These unmanned aerial vehicles have found their place in various warehousing operations, streamlining tasks and enhancing efficiency.

From conducting real-time inventory checks to monitoring stock levels in large warehouses, drones offer unparalleled speed and precision. Their ability to access hard-to-reach areas and perform repetitive tasks eliminates the need for human intervention, reducing labor costs and minimizing the risk of errors. As technology continues to advance, the role of drones in warehousing is only expected to grow, promising even greater automation, improved safety standards, and increased overall productivity in the industry.

It will soon be a decade since academic researchers, technology startups and even some large companies first started experimenting with drones for indoor applications – particularly in the supply chain industry for use-cases such as locating and counting inventory in warehouses or container trucks in yards, and of course last-mile package delivery. The latter came into public attention around 2015-16 when Walmart & Amazon talked about their in-house drone programs, and their strategic intent to expand drone operations from proof-of-concept projects into worldwide deployments. Much water has flown under the bridge since – with far less traction than the tens of thousands (or even millions!) of drones that were projected to be flying outdoors, making deliveries. Unfortunately, this has resulted in some ‘doom and gloom’ articles that seek to extrapolate the failure of some high-profile drone startups into generic pessimism about the technology and its future. Reality is, of course, far more nuanced – public safety, wind turbine inspection, construction, agriculture and vaccine/medicine delivery are examples where autonomous drones have gained commercial traction.