Title: Unmanned aerial vehicles for inventory listing

Authors: Giorgos Karamitsos; Dimitrios Bechtsis; Naoum Tsolakis; Dimitrios Vlachos

Addresses: Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH), Balkan Center, Buildings A & B, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, International Hellenic University (IHU), P.O. Box 141, 57400 Sindos, Thessaloniki, Greece; Laboratory of Statistics and Quantitative Analysis Methods, Industrial Management Division, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 461, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece ' Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH), Balkan Center, Buildings A & B, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, International Hellenic University (IHU), P.O. Box 141, 57400 Sindos, Thessaloniki, Greece ' Laboratory of Statistics and Quantitative Analysis Methods, Industrial Management Division, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 461, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; Centre for International Manufacturing, Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), Department of Engineering, School of Technology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK ' Laboratory of Statistics and Quantitative Analysis Methods, Industrial Management Division, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 461, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH), Balkan Center, Buildings A & B, Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: Drones are a breakthrough technology in warehouse inventory management as they enable real-time, fast and accurate inventory listing while minimising operational costs to supply chain stakeholders. In terms of sustainability, drones at the social constituent minimise the risk of human injuries at the facility, at the environmental constituent use rechargeable environmental-friendly batteries in order to navigate at the facility layout and execute the daily schedule of operations, and at the economic constituent minimise labour costs and operational downtimes for inventory listing by providing almost continuous inventory inspection and optimising operational decision making. In this regard, our proposed system is established in an industrial facility layout and enables the 24/7 operation of a drone for inventory listing. Operational activities include the automation of processes (navigation, routing, identification of inventory levels) and the communication with the IT infrastructure. The proposed integrated scenario provides a web-based multifunctional interface for monitoring inventory levels.

Keywords: drones; warehouse management; inventory control; digital supply chains.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBSR.2021.118776

International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 2021 Vol.15 No.6, pp.748 - 756

Accepted: 07 Dec 2020
Published online: 06 Nov 2021 *

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