Industryweek 14362 Thinkstockphotos 521930177
Industryweek 14362 Thinkstockphotos 521930177
Industryweek 14362 Thinkstockphotos 521930177
Industryweek 14362 Thinkstockphotos 521930177
Industryweek 14362 Thinkstockphotos 521930177

Planes, Trains, Automobiles… and Drones?

April 8, 2016
Drone technology will have a significant impact on lean supply chains.

While many of us have heard about (and maybe even seen) air drones in use for recreational, military and now potentially product delivery by Amazon, the latest drones are actually land-based.

For example, there’s one from a startup called Starship (“Forget delivery drones, meet your new delivery robot”) which has already been tested in the UK and is soon to be tested in the U.S. Another from a startup called Marathon has been tested by Domino’s in Australia for pizza delivery (“Domino's pizza delivery drone hits the road”).

Furthermore, whether the delivery comes via traditional means or via drone, companies such as Amazon are also allowing customers to trigger orders for local delivery using apps and, in Amazon’s case, a voice-activated bar code scanner called Dash.

While these technologies might seem far-fetched or at least far out, there is no doubt that the “last mile” of retail will be radically transformed in the not-too-distant future.

This change will also have a huge impact on the “lean-ness” of one’s supply chain. It’s been said that the land drone is one-tenth the cost of traditional (local) delivery methods. On top of that, we all know the impact point-of-sale (POS) data in combination with collaborative programs have had on improving efficiencies in the supply chain in many industries. Can you imagine the added benefit of manufacturers and distributors not only knowing inventory levels in their customers’ warehouses through current collaborative programs but potentially in their homes as well? They will also have the added ability to capture actual demand at its source for further improvements in forecasting.

It’s certainly an exciting time to be in the supply chain and logistics management field as things are really looking up (400 feet) and down (at your feet in the case of the land drone).

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

Adopting an Open Ecosystem: The Way Forward for Frontline Operations

March 11, 2024
Today's manufacturing tech stack thrives on connectivity, integrating new and legacy players for a seamless operation - not on monolithic systems. Embrace the future of frontline...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!