Companies carrying out fleet operations should and are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve their performance. Even smaller changes can create a domino effect that leads to huge savings across a company’s overall operation. UPS, a company operating a fleet on a massive scale, estimates that reducing the distance its trucks drive by just one mile per driver per day over one year could save the company up to $50 million.
One way to find room for performance improvement is by monitoring a fleet’s maintenance data. Maintenance data makes up a significant part of the operational data of drone fleets. Understanding the role of fleet maintenance data, ways to collect it, and how to make the best of it helps monitor the performance of fleet operations and how aspects such as safety and efficiency of fleet operations can be improved.
Growing Use of Commercial Drones
The commercial use of drones has steadily been increasing over the last few years and is expected to grow in both the near and far future. The use of drones can enhance the agility and productivity of existing operations of organizations that wish to implement them. One example of this is within the trucking industry. Along with the fleet of trucks that are already integral to a trucking company’s operations, drones are being incorporated to increase the security of operations, among other uses.
Improving the Efficiency of Drone Fleets Using Data
We live in an increasingly data-driven world, and operations across industries are already relying on the use of data to gather critical insights for further growth and success of companies. Drones add to the data collection and enhance data operations. This leads to improved operations and reduced waste.
Drones provide cost-effective, reliable, and high-quality aerial data that can help companies in innumerable ways. Here are a few.
1. Stricter Monitoring
Drones are being used to monitor workplaces and have already been implemented on construction sites. They can be used to ensure protocols are being followed, productivity is being sustained, safety measures are being followed, employees are enacting company procedures correctly (reporting time card hours, for instance), and timely maintenance is being carried out.
The perks of employing drones for any necessary monitoring instead of relying on humans include drones’ ability to cover a lot more ground than a human in the same amount of time. The data collected is also a lot more reliable, with high-quality footage recorded and available for future reference.
2. Faster Stock Management
Maintaining warehouse inventories is a labor-intensive and drawn-out process that can take up to a month. Using drones instead of manual labor can bring this down to a day. Retail giant Walmart has reportedly already implemented the use of drones for asset tracking, cycle counting, and better inventory management overall in their distribution centers. Drones were capable of taking 30 images per second.
Normally, employees would use forklifts to go through each rack in each aisle and make sure everything is in order. Now, drones can mimic the movement of forklifts and develop a more efficient inventory management strategy for companies.
3. Quicker, More Reliable Inspections
Just as with stock management, drones are replacing the need for manual labor when it comes to infrastructure and equipment inspections. This replacement has become prevalent in a number of industries, including construction, insurance, and engineering.
The first, more obvious benefit of employing drones for inspections is the quick collection of visual data. Drones can also venture into zones that are difficult or unsafe for workers to be in. There are various innovative technologies integrated into drones that help them to detect inefficiencies or damages much quicker.
4. Prevalent Implementation of Drones
The widespread use of drones is expected to continue across industries since the benefits are almost endless. SkyGrid is one of the pioneers in the drone industry and is proud to have developed the world’s first airspace system built on the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. With over a century’s worth of aviation experience, the company has targeted unmet needs that present new and innovative solutions.
To read more about our journey and our products, visit us here!
