dnata launches autonomous drone technology in Dallas warehouses

Dnata has launched autonomous drones in its warehouses at Dallas Fort Worth airport (DFW) to digitise acceptance and warehouse inventory processes by monitoring shipments with 99.8% accuracy.

The global ground handler partnered with Gather AI, a US-based technology start-up, as part of continued investment in technologies to maximise efficiency.

Gather AI’s software enables the drones to map the environment, collect inventory data, count cases, measure temperature, and read barcodes using only their cameras, without the need for any additional active infrastructure.
The drones are paired to a tablet device providing live inventory data. The collected data can be viewed directly on the tablet or the web, via a user-friendly application.

The drones can operate at temperatures as low as -10 Celsius degrees, enabling dnata to take advantage of the technology in its state-of-the-art cool chain facilities, too. dnata plans to gradually roll out the drones across its global cargo network in the next years.

Guillaume Crozier, dnata’s Divisional Vice President for Operations and Product Development, said: “Our partner’s autonomous drones and inventory management platform provides greater transparency across our entire operations.
“This new technology, combined with our strong cargo product expertise, enables us to significantly enhance efficiency and mitigate the risk of revenue leakage throughout the customer journey.”

Sankalp Arora, Gather AI’s Co-Founder and Chief Robotics Engineer, said: “Our drones gather label reads, inventory counts, temperature and volumetric data using AI, providing traceability across operations while providing exceptions against the facility inventory software.

“This transparency coupled with near-real-time visibility brings the power of analytics to physical spaces, minimizing revenue leakage while helping develop trust across operations.”

Arora continued: “However, it is dnata’s dedication to bringing this transparency to their customers, combined with their insights in the air cargo industry that has been critical in applying our technology to the air cargo sector with a compelling return on investment.”

Over the past year, dnata’s investments include hi-tech cool dollies in Australia and Singapore, a just-in-time freight handling platform in UAE, thermal screening in the US, as well as the network-wide rollout of a turnaround tool and IATA’s Dangerous Goods AutoCheck (DG Autocheck) solution.

Watch this video to find out how autonomous drones help us digitise processes and monitor shipments.