Verity, On, Maersk pilot RFID tech with drones in warehouse inventory management

Verity has collaborated with On and Maersk on a pilot project that aims to bridge the gap between the physical and digital supply chain environments by augmenting Verity’s autonomous inventory tracking system with radio frequency identification (RFID) capabilities.

The pilot explores the potential of RFID technology and drones to enhance inventory visibility in one of On’s warehouses.

Verity’s AI driven, vision-based system delivers inventory insights in more than 100 warehouses globally, in collaboration with various warehousing operators. One limitation, however, has been tracking inventory beyond line of sight. By integrating RFID, Verity says it is able to extend its vision inside and beyond boxes, enabling precise tracking and identification of individual items, such as products and packages, at every stage of the warehouse lifecycle.

Its drones autonomously navigate warehouse aisles, scanning RFID tags with over 99.9% accuracy at rates of up to 1,000 tags/items per second, it is claimed.

“On is an innovation company at heart, and we are excited to push the boundaries of what’s possible in logistics through this pilot project with Verity and Maersk,” says On co-founder Caspar Coppetti. “This exploration of cutting-edge solutions allowed us to test and evaluate new ways to enhance efficiency and transparency in our supply chain”.

The aforementioned tests were conducted at a Maersk facility in California to evaluate the system in a high volume, real-world warehouse environment. The testing phase spanned three months to validate the system’s performance for client specific and wall to wall inventory counts. Over 1,500 flights were completed during the period. More than 80 million RFID reads were performed, covering approximately 1.25 million individual tags.

"We are committed to leveraging advancements in logistics through cutting-edge technology,” says Jason Walker, Head of Maersk Contract Logistics, North America. “The exploration of RFID enabled drones in our warehouses is a testament to our dedication to innovation and operational excellence. Importantly, this technology enhances the capabilities of our team, empowering them to focus on more strategic tasks and drive continuous improvement."

The early use of the new system has uncovered the following integration for this technology in warehouse operations. The system is able to detect tags at a rapid rate, with an estimated productised reading speed of up to 1,000 tags/items per second. This allows for precise identification of each item with a 99.9% success rate. Furthermore, the technology enables Verity to precisely localise each tag in the warehouse.

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Supply chain technology was a key focus area at the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering.