Ikea’s stock-counting warehouse drones will fly alongside workers in the US

Ikea has launched an upgrade to its stock-counting drone system — and now it’s coming to the US, too. The Swedish furniture chain announced that the autonomous drones will soon operate alongside workers in its Perryville, Maryland distribution center, where Ikea started installation this summer.

The Verity-branded drones also come with a new AI-powered system that allows them to fly around warehouses 24/7. That means they’ll now operate alongside human workers, helping to count inventory as well as identify if something’s in the wrong spot. Previously, the drones only flew during nonoperational hours.

Parag Parekh, the chief digital officer for Ikea Retail, says in the press release that flights are pre-scheduled, and the drones use a “custom indoor positioning system to navigate higher levels of storage locations.” They also have an obstacle detection system that allows them to reroute their paths to avoid collisions. Ikea is also working on several upgrades for the drones, including the ability to inspect unit loads and racks.

So far, Ikea’s fleet consists of more than 250 drones operating across 73 warehouses in nine countries. Ikea first launched its drone system in partnership with Verity in 2021 and expanded it to more locations throughout Europe last year. Now, Ikea plans on bringing its AI-upgraded drones to more distribution centers in Europe and North America, which the company says will help “reduce the ergonomic strain on [human] co-workers, allowing them to focus on lighter and more interesting tasks.”