Wal-Mart intends to use drones handle warehousing operations

UAV in the retail, logistics functions in addition to shipping, Soon can be used for storage management. US retail giant Wal-Mart (Walmart) earlier announced that it will use drones to manage inventory, will be the fastest to import American distribution center used within 6-9 months.

Wal-Mart intends to use drones handle warehousing operations


Wal-Mart distribution center every day to deal with a large number of goods inventory, inventory check goods one by one alone human need to spend a month-long, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles can significantly reduce the time to complete the day, accelerated storage management operations. Wal-Mart also optimistic because the UAV can improve supply chain job situation, therefore proceeds from the emerging science and technology department of research and testing, while also containing the virtual reality (VR) applications and other emerging technologies.

Wal-Mart in October 2015 had the US Federal Aviation Administration (Federal Aviation Administration, FAA) proposed a number of UAV application testing application, including the delivery of goods, check warehouse inventory purposes. Today, Wal-Mart has started testing the UAV warehouse management, it has also demonstrated its practical operation of the logistics distribution center.

According to "Business Insider" reported, Walmart and the US space agency (NASA), FAA, to develop a diameter of about 90 cm axis UAV, which is connected to the control center with built-in camera that can shoot 30 images per second speed scanning goods tracking number, and sends the data back to the control center. After scanning the goods, if consistent with the inventory data will be recorded in green, blue space idle stock, red indicates that the information does not match the comparison operator that drones returned by information through a computer, you can grasp the actual situation of goods.

Emerging Science and Technology vice president Shekar Natarajan said that the current UAVs still the early stages of testing, the specific on-line time undecided, you can determine that Wal-Mart plans to integrate UAVs to all logistics and distribution center, but also to explore other possible applications .

Wal-Mart's use of drones to take inventory, replac part of human nature inevitably, so that employees facing unemployment crisis. Wo Maer spokesman stressed that there is indeed a small number of staff will be replaced by unmanned aircraft, but will not lose their jobs, the company will arrange for them to turn raised inside other units.

Faced with the biggest rival Amazon (Amazon) the threat of Wal-Mart stepped up to new technology to improve efficiency, and more recently called the car service Uber, Lyft together to provide fresh produce and grocery services outside Songdao Fu, save delivery hiring cost, actively trying to increase the competitive advantage against Amazon.