Designed around the automation of freight checks, the technology will aim to help improve efficiency and reliability of operations.
Conducted using technology developed by drone software start-up FlytBase, the trials come after IAG Cargo found it was spending an average of 6,500 hours each year recording the barcodes and location data of freight across their individual warehouses.
Due to the drones' use of the 3D space, degree of autonomy, and continuous advancement in intelligent automation software, IAG Cargo identified a viable solution to increase accuracy within the warehouse.
Carly Morris, Head of Innovation, IAG Cargo, comments: “Watching our autonomous drone take off, navigate our warehouse, collect valuable location and barcode data, and then return itself to an origin point for self-charging is an incredible sight, and shows the huge potential drones have in the aviation and logistics sectors.
“We have more exciting new technology tests and trials in 2020 that will help change the way our industry approaches some age-old problems.”
There will be a continuation of testing of certain elements of the drone operation early next year in order to make improvements on what has already been achieved.