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If you asked someone 20 years ago what we would be using drones for today, they probably thought that we’d have our packages airlifted across the country and delivered directly to our door… but it turns out that’s not very realistic (and ground shipping is perfectly fine). But that doesn’t mean drones are useless. This purpose isn’t necessarily as glamorous as getting a brand new pair of jeans in a flash.
Ikea warehouses are putting drones to the test. And it’s working. Ikea uses drones to manage inventory in its large warehouses, instead of using them for delivery. These blue and yellow drones, which are operated by the hardware startup Verity, are zipping through 16 European stores to scan products and update inventory. This is a much more efficient — and safer — way to scan products than sending someone up 100 feet in the air on a lift. This technology is so compelling that Verity has raised over $40 million in the past year.
