GNC's AI-powered drones help reduce backorders while boosting warehouse worker satisfaction

At GNC's warehouse in Whitestown, Indiana, the daily buzz of four drones fills the air as they tackle the tedious tasks of counting and tracking boxes across an expansive inventory of over 2,000 pallets. This innovative approach allows the nutritional manufacturing company to gain a comprehensive view of its 250,000-square-foot reserve inventory monthly, a significant improvement from the previous quarterly assessments. Bill Monk, GNC's vice president of distribution, emphasizes the importance of this technology in curbing backorders—situations where inventory is marked as available but is actually missing. "Understanding where our products are is crucial for shipping efficiency," Monk stated. Since implementing the drones from Corvus Robotics two years ago, GNC has seen a dramatic drop in non-shipments, from several hundred units daily to approximately 98. The drones are meticulously scheduled to cover specific areas during their 25- to 30-minute flights, allowing GNC’s inventory team to focus on resolving discrepancies identified by the drone system. Jackie Wu, CEO of Corvus Robotics, noted that the drones are equipped with advanced AI that facilitates accurate positioning and autonomous movement within the warehouse environment. These drones do more than just monitor inventory; they enhance the operational capabilities of the staff. Drone footage assists in locating misplaced products and identifying inventory issues, which reduces the burden on human workers. Brendan Englot, director at the Stevens Institute for Artificial Intelligence, explained that these drones are designed to operate efficiently with minimal onboard computing, allowing longer flight times between charges. Before the integration of drones, GNC employed 20 people for inventory management, a role that saw high turnover due to its repetitive nature. Monk reported that employee satisfaction has improved significantly since the drones began to take over the more mundane tasks, allowing workers to engage in more interesting investigative work. Tammy Lacher, an inventory control specialist at GNC, expressed enthusiasm about the technology, stating, "The drones handle the counting, and our team gets to do more investigative work. It takes a lot of the grind out of the job." With the introduction of drones, most original inventory staff have transitioned to alternative roles, such as customer service or active product-picking areas. Currently, one to two team members focus on verifying the drones' data accuracy, ensuring that discrepancies are addressed efficiently. Monk shared an example where a drone reported an inventory of 600 boxes in a location, while GNC's records indicated only 60. This discrepancy was traced back to a human error in data entry, highlighting how the drones can unveil issues that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. Despite their advantages, the drones do face challenges, particularly with GNC's plastic-wrapped pallets, which can pose risks during flight. Monk noted that careful handling of plastic is essential to prevent drone malfunctions. Even with these limitations, the drones have expedited problem-solving processes in ways that Monk had not anticipated, significantly enhancing GNC’s operational efficiency.