Geodis and Delta Drone have delivered the prototype of a drone that can be used in warehouses to manage inventory.

A few months after the start-up of the project and in line with the planned schedule, the initial development phase of the project came to a successful conclusion following extensive testing in real-life conditions at logistics sites in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône near Paris and Plaisance-du-Touch near Toulouse.

The initial prototype demonstrated the potential of the developed system. It comprises a quadcopter drone fit with high-resolution cameras and a ground-based robot equipped with a battery providing the necessary energy for the system. Capable of identifying pallets in low-light conditions, the solution is operated using several dedicated electronics and computer systems.

Geodis and Delta Drone signed an agreement on April 28, 2016 on the joint development of a solution for automated warehouse inventory using drones. The system, which ensures data counting and reporting in real time, aims to integrate the entire value chain, including data processing and retrieval in the Geodis warehouse management system.

The final delivery of a completed prototype is planned for first-quarter 2017, followed by the start of the industrial development phase prior to the start-up of operational use at the warehouses of Geodis and its customers in France and internationally.

The Delta Drone group is in the business of developing civilian drones for professional use. It offers a global service ranging from data acquisition to data processing using a specially developed IT system.

Geodis is a supply chain operator owned by SNCF Logistics, a business line of the SNCF Group, which is ranked as the number four logistics provider in Europe and number seven worldwide. In 2015, GEODIS recorded $8.6 billion in sales.