What is warehouse stock monitoring?
A more recent use case for drones is warehouse stock monitoring. Product warehouses are filled with stock and keeping track of it all requires barcodes to be scanned daily to know stock numbers and what needs to be purchased. IT also ensures the correct products are placed in the correct spots.
Drones improve this process by being able to fly from shelf to shelf and level to level, scanning the barcodes as it goes, which the data is then automatically uploaded into the system and the stock levels are updated.
How does warehouse stock monitoring work?
- Multiple drones take-off from a docking station with a pre-programmed flight path. The drones will go down each isle and scan the barcodes as it goes.
- This data is uploaded in real-time to the stock database where it updates the numbers, ready for when the workers show up in the morning. The stock is then ordered automatically or manually by a worker.
- Once done, the drones return to their docking stations, charge up, and wait for the next time to come.
Benefits of using drones
- Stock levels can be updated at a much faster rate, meaning more accurate data for improved decision making.
- Turnaround times can be improved thanks to faster data collection rate, which results in more stock out of the door and less downtime waiting for more to come in.
- Drones can get to work during the night, meaning no daytime operations are affected.
Image: Ikea