Warehouse Drones: The Future of Logistics

The Expanding Role of Drones and Robotics in Warehouses

While drones are often associated with recreational use or, conversely, military applications, their potential for practical applications is steadily growing. Initially, consumer drones primarily served hobbyists and those needing aerial imaging capabilities.

Beyond Imaging: New Applications Emerge

We are witnessing an increase in innovative uses for drones, such as agricultural monitoring and real estate photography, which largely build upon their imaging strengths. However, the capabilities of drones extend far beyond simply capturing images with appropriate data processing.

A particularly intriguing development is the emergence of warehouse drones – a concept that might seem unexpected, given the common association of drones with outdoor environments.

Competition in the Warehouse Drone Space

Interestingly, two companies, IFM (Intelligent Flying Machines) and Vtrus, previously competed on the Disrupt Battlefield platform. This represents only a small fraction of the numerous startups actively working to integrate drones into warehouse and factory settings.

Corvus Robotics, a startup backed by Y Combinator, has joined this field. The company’s name is inspired by the Corvus genus, known for its highly intelligent bird species like crows and ravens.

Corvus Robotics and Autonomous Inventory Scanning

Corvus Robotics presents what they call “the world’s first unmanned warehouse inventory drones.” While this claim is open to debate, their system is demonstrably effective.

These drones autonomously navigate warehouses to scan pallets for inventory management. According to IEEE Spectrum, a fully autonomous drone network can process between 200 and 400 pallets per hour, factoring in necessary recharging time.

Third Wave Automation Secures Series B Funding

Third Wave Automation, focused on complete warehouse automation, recently announced a $40 million Series B funding round. Norwest Venture Partners led the investment, with participation from Innovation Endeavors, Eclipse, and Toyota Ventures.

Toyota Ventures is collaborating with the Bay Area-based startup to develop an autonomous forklift, aiming to reduce the significant number of accidents involving forklifts each year.

Arshan Poursohi, the CEO, stated the company intends to deploy 100 units by the end of the following year.

inVia Robotics Experiences Rapid Growth

inVia Robotics, another key player in warehouse automation, secured a $30 million Series C funding round. The round was led by tech giants Microsoft (M12) and Qualcomm (Qualcomm Ventures LLC), bringing the company’s total funding to $59 million.

Hitachi Ventures also contributed to this funding round. inVia Robotics reported a substantial 600% revenue increase in 2020, driven by pandemic-related demand.

GE's ATVer and Military Applications

Beyond drones, General Electric’s ATVer robot is undergoing field testing with the U.S. Army. Funding from military sources continues to be a significant catalyst for advancements in robotics technology.

Shiraj Sen, GE’s senior robotics expert, explained that the partnership with the U.S. Army has facilitated important progress in autonomous systems. He believes these advancements will accelerate the adoption of driverless vehicle technologies and encourage autonomous solutions in sectors like energy, aviation, and healthcare.

Sarcos and T-Mobile Partner for 5G Teleoperation

Sarcos recently announced a partnership with T-Mobile to integrate 5G teleoperation capabilities into its Guardian XT robot. Robotics are frequently highlighted as a key beneficiary of 5G’s low-latency connectivity.

This application of 5G technology to real-world robotic systems is a positive development, moving beyond demonstrations often seen at press events.