High-Tech Drones Enhance UPS Supply Chain Solutions
UPS Supply Chain Solutions has partnered with robotics company Verity to deploy autonomous drones for inventory tracking. The initiative, which began at the UPS Velocity facility in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, has already reduced inventory management hours by half and eliminated high-reach tasks for employees, significantly boosting efficiency.
Drone Technology Addressing Key Inventory Challenges
Verity’s drones provide daily inventory checks and conduct full-facility audits twice a month. By identifying discrepancies and maintaining accurate stock data, the drones enhance order fulfillment reliability. UPS’s facility, characterized by narrow aisles designed to maximize space, benefits greatly from the drones’ ability to navigate areas that traditional equipment cannot access.
Transforming Inventory Management for UPS
UPS Velocity’s 266,000-square-foot facility handles over 930,000 inventory movements annually. Verity drones enable precise, real-time tracking of inventory, mitigating risks such as misplaced stock and overfilled locations that can disrupt operations. Industrial engineering manager Mary Ann Crawford emphasized the importance of inventory accuracy, noting that errors can ripple through an entire operation.
Broader Adoption Signals a Growing Trend
UPS joins other major companies like Maersk and sportswear brand On in utilizing Verity’s drone technology. These collaborations highlight a broader shift toward automation in inventory management, as companies seek innovative solutions to improve accuracy, save time, and reduce employee risks associated with manual tasks.
By integrating autonomous drones into its warehouse operations, UPS is setting a precedent for streamlined and data-driven supply chain management.
