Ecommerce fulfilment provider PFS has partnered with technology provider Vimaan to launch autonomous flying warehouse drones that offer automated inventory tracking for its clients.
Initially, PFS is integrating Vimaan’s StorTRACK AIR, the first-of-its-kind self-flying warehouse drones to automate inventory tracking activities within one of PFS’s Memphis-based fulfilment operations that stores and picks, packs, and ships inventory for premier brands.
The robots scan inventory from the ground to the ceiling, capture up to 1,500 locations per hour and deliver highly accurate inventory status details to the PFS Warehouse Management System (WMS) the company claims. It says the implementation will improve the accuracy and traceability of client product inventory across PFS’ fulfilment centres.
“With the rise in demand for multi-node fulfilment operations, it’s more critical than ever to track inventory more efficiently across our facilities,” said Jon Gardner, senior vice president of fulfilment operations at PFS. “Vimaan’s technology allows us to implement real-time tracking against our WMS more accurately, efficiently, and safely. It also enables PFS to deploy immediate investigation and adjustments to improve accuracy and responsiveness for our clients. The implementation of this technology means another step forward for PFS’ efforts to drive innovation across our facilities in support of our clients’ eCommerce operations.”
S.K Ganapathi, Vimaan founder and CEO, said: “We believe near real-time 100% inventory accuracy and visibility across the entire warehouse is attainable. We expect PFS to gain significant efficiencies during the cycle count/receiving and packing audit processes, resulting in the same significant savings other clients have seen using this technology.”
The technology is being initially deployed at a single location within PFS’ Memphis-based fulfilment campus with current plans to roll out to remaining global fulfilment centres through 2023.
“The deployment of this technology is another key step in our planned innovation roadmap,” said Zach Thomann, COO and president of PFS. “We are continuously looking at additional methods to produce more efficient ecommerce fulfilment operations, such as autonomous mobile robotics, goods-to-person systems and advanced scanning technology. We have opportunities to improve our inbound receiving, put-away, quality inspection and shipping processes by deploying these types of solutions and will continue to explore additional capabilities that will benefit our clients.”
