In the high-stakes world of warehousing and logistics, speed and accuracy are everything. Yet, misplaced or lost inventory remains a pervasive issue that costs companies time and money. Enter Corvus Robotics, a startup founded by Mohammed Kabir ’21, which is leveraging autonomous drones to revolutionize inventory management.
These drones, designed to operate in complex warehouse environments, offer a 24/7 solution that scans towering shelves of pallets—regardless of lighting conditions. By integrating seamlessly with human operations, they provide unparalleled insights into inventory, enabling businesses to transition from biannual checks to weekly or even faster updates.
“Typically, warehouses will do inventory twice a year — we change that to once a week or faster,” says Kabir, co-founder and CTO. “There’s a huge operational efficiency you gain from that.”
Precision in the Toughest Conditions
Corvus Robotics’ drones are not just another tech gadget—they’re autonomous systems that can navigate GPS-denied environments using only cameras and neural networks. Unlike traditional methods requiring reflectors, stickers, or extensive setups, Corvus drones require minimal infrastructure. Installation involves setting up docks and basic mapping, making the system fully operational within a week for facilities as large as 1 million square feet.
This groundbreaking approach, termed “infrastructure-free autonomy,” differentiates Corvus from other solutions. The drones autonomously scan barcodes and track product locations, integrating the data directly with the warehouse management system. They also highlight discrepancies and suggest resolutions, drastically reducing manual intervention.
From Dorm Room Prototypes to Industry Pioneers
Kabir’s journey began long before Corvus Robotics. A drone enthusiast since his teenage years, he brought his passion to MIT, where he developed the first Corvus prototype in his Simmons Hall dorm room. Early iterations were tested on campus fields, setting the foundation for the drones’ advanced autonomy systems.
While still a student, Kabir co-founded the MIT Driverless program, which developed North America’s first competition-winning driverless race cars. This expertise in autonomy carried over into Corvus, where the team refined their drone platform by simulating warehouse environments in a Boston facility.
The Corvus One: An All-in-One Solution
The company’s flagship product, the Corvus One, is equipped with 14 cameras and an advanced AI system. It autonomously scans pallets, records product locations, and safely operates alongside humans and forklifts. The system even allows customers to set no-fly zones, define flight behaviors, and automate schedules, making it adaptable to any warehouse operation.
Beyond rack inventory, Corvus is addressing a broader issue: lost products before they reach storage. Kabir explains, “A lot of stuff gets lost even before it makes it to the racks. Items get mislabelled or misplaced after arriving at the warehouse. Our vision is to solve that.”
Transforming the Industry
Traditional inventory management often involves forklifts, scissor lifts, and manual data entry—prone to errors and inefficiency. Corvus eliminates these bottlenecks, ensuring inventory accuracy without disrupting daily operations.
Looking ahead, Corvus plans to expand its offerings to provide end-to-end inventory management solutions, from the moment products arrive at warehouses to their final storage.
“We don’t want to just solve part of the problem,” Kabir says. “We want to fix the entire system to make inventory management seamless.”
A Glimpse into the Future
As warehouses become more complex and datasets grow exponentially, solutions like Corvus Robotics’ autonomous drones are essential for maintaining efficiency. By combining cutting-edge AI with practical design, Corvus is setting a new standard for inventory management.
The future of logistics may very well rest on the wings of these autonomous drones—flying high above the inefficiencies of the past.
Sources: https://news.mit.edu/2024/corvus-autonomous-drones-precisely-track-warehouse-inventories-1220, https://www.ar-racking.com/us/blog/main-areas-of-a-warehouse/
