The drones take photos of SKUs to identify inventory errors, such as missing or misplaced stock items. Once the data is collected, the system compares the ndings with data stored in the warehouse management system (WMS) and then distills that information into critical insights delivered directly to users via a dashboard. The results are cloud-based and shareable, and strengthen a company’s data accuracy to improve decision making quality and speed. PIONEERING INNOVATION On’s success is rooted in innovation. The brand’s own CloudTec technology propelled initial sales of its running shoes—and its subsequent growth— so it’s no surprise On would be open to deploying eets of autonomous drones in its warehouses. The company’s primary goal is to establish precise inventory management without having to rely on manual processes. “The accuracy of our stock levels serves as the foundation for maintaining product availability and facilitating sales across
for large scale deployment,” says Raffaello D’Andrea, co-founder and CEO of Verity. Verity went back to the drawing board and, over the next three years, created a second-generation system that is the basis for what now is used inside 80-plus warehouses operated by companies in 13 countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, and South Africa. “Building on our track record of successful projects in Europe, we completed our rst deployment in the United States with Maersk in late 2021,” says D’Andrea. Basically, the Verity drones used in warehouses navigate to the locations they are scheduled to scan, collecting accurate inventory data in three dimensions by scanning barcodes at any height using onboard, high-resolution cameras. When an electric-powered drone’s battery runs low, it autonomously lands and recharges while other drones y off to continue the mission. It isn’t necessary for a dedicated human operator to be on-site and entire operation cycles can occur at night or on weekends with no need for overhead lighting.
“This initial phase will allow us to assess the effectiveness of the solution before gradually expanding to our other locations,” Lala adds. A STEALTH APPROACH For its part, Verity is on a mission to transform warehouse operations and optimize inventory management. The 10-year-old company came out of stealth mode at a TED conference in February 2016 and did a live demonstration of its ability to y drones autonomously indoors. The presentation culminated with a swarm of drones ying over the audience. Less than six months later, Verity did a proof of concept (POC) with a large U.S. retailer, demonstrating the use of drones to deliver automated inventory tracking. “What we learned from doing the POC, was that there was a real demand for this capability, and our technology stack, while still best in class, was not mature enough CASEBOOK STUDY Prone to Drones CHALLENGE On, a Swiss high-performance sportswear brand, sought to optimize its inventory management and enhance supply chain eciency and precision to support its burgeoning growth. SOLUTION On partnered with Verity, a Swiss AI and robotics company, on a project to deploy fleets of fully autonomous drones in one of On’s U.S. warehouses beginning in February 2024.
RESULTS Early results indicate the
collaboration is already improving ON’s key performance indicators.
NEXT STEPS The plan is to gradually deploy Verity drones in On’s additional 11 warehouse locations around the world.
Sportswear brand On leverages technology to support company growth by improving product availability at its physical and online stores, and maximizing order fulfillment by boosting on- time and accurate delivery.
198 Inbound Logistics • July 2024
Powered by FlippingBook