GPS-free indoor drone system for autonomous warehouse inventory scanning and cycle counting — equipped with UHF RFID reader, 4K barcode camera, and real-time WMS integration. Scans up to 50,000 sqm per flight at heights up to 12m, operating 24/7 in complete darkness.
The autonomous warehouse inventory drone is a compact indoor unmanned aerial vehicle purpose-built for warehouse cycle counting and stock verification. Measuring 650×650×280mm and weighing just 3.2kg (with battery), it flies autonomously through warehouse aisles, reads RFID tags and barcodes on high-rack pallets up to 12 meters, and synchronizes scan results with your WMS in real time — entirely without human pilots or facility shutdowns.
The drone launches from its autonomous charging dock, follows pre-mapped flight paths using UWB + Visual SLAM navigation, and systematically scans each rack bay. Its UHF RFID module reads up to 500+ tags per second at 3–5m distance, while the 4K camera verifies barcodes and captures visual evidence. Onboard edge computing matches scanned data against WMS records in real time. When battery is low, the drone autonomously returns to its charging dock, lands, and recharges in 90 minutes before the next mission.
Operator defines scan zones and rack layouts via the cloud management platform. The drone auto-generates optimal flight paths to cover all aisles.
The drone takes off from the charging dock, navigates aisles using Visual SLAM + UWB positioning, and maintains precise altitude up to 12m rack height.
UHF RFID reads 500+ tags/sec at 3–5m range; the 4K camera captures barcode images with 99.9% accuracy. Both modalities run simultaneously for cross-verification.
Scanned data is matched against WMS records via REST API / MQTT. Discrepancies are flagged instantly. Offline cache stores data if connectivity drops, syncing automatically when restored.
When battery reaches threshold, the drone autonomously returns to its charging dock, precision-lands, and begins recharging. Full charge completes in 90 minutes, ready for the next cycle.
The drone navigates without GPS using a fused positioning system: Ultra-Wideband (UWB) anchors provide absolute reference points while Visual SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) builds real-time spatial awareness. The result is centimeter-level positioning accuracy in GPS-denied warehouse environments — even with high metal racking that disrupts RF signals.
An integrated UHF RFID module (860–960MHz) reads up to 500+ tags per second at 3–5 meters distance, performing bulk inventory sweeps of entire rack bays. Simultaneously, the downward-facing 4K camera captures barcode/QR code images for individual item verification. AI-powered image processing achieves 99.9% read accuracy even in low light, with on-device OCR for lot codes and expiration dates.
The drone is protected by three independent obstacle avoidance systems: Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors for close-range detection, ultrasonic sensors for medium-range spatial awareness, and LiDAR for long-range mapping. This triple redundancy ensures safe autonomous operation in narrow aisles, around forklifts, and near workers — even in zero-visibility dark warehouse conditions using IR-enabled sensors.
Scanned inventory data is pushed to your WMS in real time via REST API or MQTT protocol, with instant discrepancy flagging. For warehouses with intermittent Wi-Fi coverage, the onboard edge computer caches all scan data locally and auto-syncs when connectivity is restored — ensuring zero data loss. Compatible with SAP EWM, Oracle WMS, Manhattan Associates, Blue Yonder, and Korber.
The dedicated charging station serves as the drone's home base. After each scan mission, the drone autonomously navigates back, performs a precision landing alignment, and begins charging immediately. Full battery charge completes in 90 minutes. The dock also runs pre-flight diagnostics, firmware updates, and flight log uploads — ensuring the drone is always mission-ready without human intervention.
A centralized cloud dashboard manages the entire drone fleet — mission scheduling, flight analytics, scan coverage maps, battery health monitoring, and AI model updates. Operators can monitor multiple warehouse sites from a single interface, schedule automated cycle counts during off-hours (2AM–6AM), and generate inventory reconciliation reports on demand.
The drone uses a dual-mode navigation system combining Ultra-Wideband (UWB) anchors with Visual SLAM. UWB anchors installed in the warehouse provide absolute position references, while Visual SLAM uses the onboard camera to build and track a real-time 3D map of the environment. An IMU sensor fuses all data streams for centimeter-level positioning accuracy (+/-5 cm), even in warehouses with high metal racking that blocks GPS signals.
When battery reaches the pre-configured threshold, the drone automatically pauses the scan mission, navigates back to its charging dock, and performs a precision landing. After the 90-minute charge cycle, it resumes the scan from where it left off — no data is lost thanks to onboard edge cache. Each battery delivers 45-60 minutes of continuous scanning, covering up to 50,000 sqm per flight.
The system connects to your WMS via REST API, MQTT, or webhooks. Scanned RFID and barcode data is matched against your WMS records in real time, with discrepancies automatically flagged. The platform is pre-integrated with SAP EWM, Oracle WMS, Manhattan Associates, Blue Yonder, and Korber. Custom integrations are also supported. If Wi-Fi drops, the onboard edge computer caches data and auto-syncs when connectivity returns.
Fleet sizing depends on your facility square footage, rack height, and desired scan frequency. Each drone covers 20,000-50,000 sqm per flight (45-60 min). As a guideline: a 50,000 sqm warehouse needing daily full scans requires 2 drones with the autonomous charging dock cycle. For weekly cycle counts, a single drone often suffices. Our deployment team performs a free site assessment to recommend the optimal fleet size.
Yes. A cold-storage-rated variant operates in temperatures from -25 deg C to +5 deg C. It uses IR-enabled sensors for dark operation, collision-tolerant airframe components rated for thermal contraction, and sealed electronics. Since the drone operates autonomously during off-hours (2AM-6AM), it eliminates the need for workers to enter cold storage for inventory counts - improving both safety compliance and scan frequency.
Get a custom deployment plan for your warehouse — including drone fleet sizing, WMS integration scope, and charging dock placement. Our team handles everything from site survey to go-live.