Warehouse Drones for Inventory Management

Automate your perpetual inventory and cycle counts with inventAIRy XL – the self-flying warehouse drone solution for automated inventory control

Eliminate Inventory Headaches with Autonomous Warehouse Drones

Revolutionise your inventory audits and cycle counts with our cutting-edge warehouse drones for inventory management. Say goodbye to traditional, time-consuming methods that often yield inaccuracies, incur high equipment costs, and pose health and safety risks.

Our innovative drone and robot technology streamlines the auditing process, acting as the equivalent of an entire inventory count team in one efficient package. What used to take weeks can now be accomplished in just a few days, with a remarkable data accuracy rate exceeding 99%.

Experience the future of warehouse management with our drone-powered solution, delivering unparalleled efficiency, precision, and safety to your operations.

Transparent ROI Calculations

calculate your savings ➤
See how much you could save your company: Forecast your potential ROI, cost savings, and IRR in just a few clicks.

From Discovery to Delivery
Start your Automation in 2 weeks

Initial Discovery

  • Understand your specific use case, site details and site layout
  • Document and understand current inventory control processes
  • Present a high-level solution overview & demonstrate the application

Feasibility Checks

  • Basic questionnaire to check compatibility.
  • Site photos and additional details.
  • Generate a detailed ROI projection.

Proposal Call

Present a draft proposal to stakeholders, covering

  • Project commitments and deliverables.
  • Implementation process and timelines
  • ROI forecast, including the project breakeven point.

Site Visit

  • Conduct a live demo at an existing RAWview client site.
  • Demonstrate the solution in a real-world environment
  • Define and meet success metrics that validate project approval.

Final Proposal

  • Finalise the proposal based on feedback
  • Execute the contract with all necessary amendments
  • Implement the automation

Benefits of inventAIRy XL Drones in Warehouse Management

DATA ACCURACY

99.9

%
FLIGHT AUTONOMY

6

HOURS
DAILY OUTPUT

7500

LOCATIONS
PROJECT PAYBACK

12

MONTHS
Supercharge your perpetual inventory with fully automated counts of up to 7500 locations per day with just one inventAIRy XL system
CALCULATE SCAN RATE ➤

Inventory Drone FAQs

What is an autonomous inventory drone solution?

An autonomous inventory drone solution utilises advanced drone technology and robotics to automate and streamline inventory management processes in warehouses and storage facilities.

How does an autonomous inventory drone solution work?

The drones and robots are equipped with sensors and cameras to navigate autonomously through warehouse spaces, capture inventory data, and transmit it in real-time to the Warehouse Management System or ERP.

What are the benefits of using warehouse drones for inventory management?

Warehouse drones for inventory management have the potential to completely revolutionise the way that inventory control is conducted in warehouses and distribution centres. The autonomous workflow of warehouse drones ensures that optimum inventory accuracy can be achieved, without any reliance on human intervention. Not only does this protect inventory control processes against precarious labour markets, it also gets the job done more efficiently, more accurately, and without the need for warehouse operatives to work at height.

What companies use drones in warehouses?

Drones are revolutionising warehouse operations, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and safety. Among the pioneering companies leveraging drone technology in their warehouse operations are well-known industry leaders such as XPO Logistics, Princes Foods, PD Ports, Knowles Logistics, Kite Packaging, and Charles Kendall Freight. These companies are working with RAWview to be at the forefront of adopting this innovative technology to streamline inventory management, reduce operational costs, and improve overall logistics processes.

  • XPO Logistics utilises drone technology to automate inventory checks, thus reducing the time and labour traditionally required for manual checks. This not only speeds up the process but also significantly reduces human error.

  • Princes Foods has integrated drones into their workflow to ensure more precise inventory tracking and to enhance the safety of their storage facilities by minimising the need for staff to physically access hard-to-reach areas.

  • PD Ports uses drones specifically for continuous cycle counting, enabling them to maintain accurate and real-time inventory data. This frequent scanning helps in promptly identifying discrepancies and adjusting inventory levels without disrupting daily operations, thereby ensuring operational efficiency and reducing the risk of inventory overstock or shortages.

  • Knowles Logistics employs drones to optimise space within their warehouses. The aerial view provided by drones assists in better layout planning and utilisation of vertical storage spaces.
  • Kite Packaging and Charles Kendall Freight use drone technology to quickly perform stock checks and manage large inventories more effectively, thereby enabling faster response times to customer demands and maintaining high levels of accuracy in order fulfilment.

By integrating drones into their operations, these companies are setting new standards in warehouse management and logistics, highlighting the critical role of innovative technologies in transforming traditional business models and enhancing operational efficiencies.

How accurate are the inventory counts provided by autonomous drones?

Inventory counts provided by autonomous drones are highly accurate, with data accuracy rates exceeding 99%, helping to minimise discrepancies and errors in the Warehouse Management System.

What output can I expect to see from inventAIRy XL?

As long as the barcode labels are of a reasonable quality (ie. not faded or torn), a single inventAIRy XL system can scan in excess of 6000 rack locations in a single 24 hour period.

If you’re interested to see how quickly a single inventAIRy XL system can cycle through your entire facility, you can access our handy workrate calculator by clicking the button ‘CALCULATE TIME SAVINGS’ further up the page.

Are autonomous inventory drones safe to operate in warehouse environments?

Yes, autonomous inventory drones are equipped with collision avoidance technology and follow strict safety protocols to ensure safe operation in warehouse settings. Our system is also able to operate at night (in complete darkness), so inventory operations can also be scheduled outside of normal working hours.

Can autonomous inventory drones work alongside existing inventory management systems?

Yes, these solutions are designed to seamlessly integrate with existing inventory management software, ensuring full compatibility and smooth operation.

What battery technology does the inventAIRy XL solution use?

Unlike traditional drone technology – which is typically powered by Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries, inventAIRy uses a single lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery.

LiFePO4 batteries offer a significantly longer cycle life compared to the LiPo alternative, capable of enduring a far greater number of charge-discharge cycles without experiencing a substantial reduction in usable capacity – or, worse still, degradation in the batteries’ safe operation.

How does the implementation of autonomous inventory drones impact workflow efficiency?

By automating inventory audits and data collection tasks, autonomous inventory drones free up human resources, allowing staff to focus on more productive tasks and improving overall workflow efficiency.

Will warehouse drones save us money?

Almost certainly. In most cases, our customers realise a project breakeven point within 12 months from go-live.

If you’d like to see how the economics look for your specific warehouse operation, you can access our handy ROI Calculator above

Will I need to make changes to our warehouse to accommodate autonomous inventory drones?

Absolutely not! This is one of the elements that makes the inventAIRy XL solution unique.

In contrast to other solutions, inventAIRy XL does NOT require any adaptation to existing warehouse infrastructure. All navigation is carried out by the system’s ground robot, which is pre-programmed with a digital twin of the warehouse (floor area, aisle positions, rack dimensions, bin locations etc). As a result, deployment of the inventAIRy XL solution can be achieved without any modifications to the warehouse’s physical layout whatsoever.

What types of warehouses or facilities can benefit from autonomous inventory drones?

Autonomous inventory drones can benefit a wide range of warehouses, distribution centres, manufacturing facilities, retail stores, and other storage facilities with large inventories.

Can autonomous inventory drones operate in varying lighting conditions or environments?

Yes, autonomous inventory drones are equipped to operate in various lighting conditions and environments, including low-light settings and indoor spaces with obstacles. inventAIRy XL learns about environmental nuances and adapts dynamically.

How long does it take to implement warehouse drones for inventory management?

Adding autonomous inventory drones to your warehouse operation takes approximately two weeks (depending on warehouse size and complexity), all with minimal disruption to your daily operations. That means you could be enjoying huge savings, more accurate inventory counts and safer warehouses within just a month of getting in touch with us!

What maintenance or support is required for autonomous inventory drone systems?

Routine maintenance, software updates, and occasional calibration may be required to ensure optimal performance. All such technical support of inventAIRy XL is provided by RAWview for the duration of the project.

“One of the first companies in the UK to embrace drone technology, Kite Packaging has been optimising its warehouse through automated inventory control, showcasing an innovative approach both to its own operations and to customers"
Gavin Ashe
Managing Partner, Kite Packaging
Really impressed with this drone-based stock control system. Since working with RAWview, we have a fully automated audit of every one of our 16,000 pallet locations every 5 days. It used to take one person on a scissor lift 3-4 weeks to complete this task.
Roland Llewellin
Managing Director, Genpower
“The speed of our scanning time has improved well over 100%. It’s these kind of efficiency improvements that we feel is vital to future proofing our operation and ensure that we continuously meet the demands of our customers by staying ahead of the curve.”
Alex Knowles
Managing Director, Knowles Logistics
“The future of warehousing! What an amazing, well-engineered piece of technology that not only saves time and improves our team’s productivity, but also have a positive impact in regards to health and safety.”
Jonathan Borg
Stock Control and Systems Manager, PD Ports