Concept: Santa Clara’s AI solution startup Vimaan has launched a drone-based computer vision platform for product tracking and management across the warehouses. With minimum worker control, it aids warehouse managers to achieve better inventory accuracy and visibility. This can result in additional labor savings, as well as decreased inventory wastage, fewer claims and chargebacks, lower reverse logistics costs, and overall quality improvement.
Nature of Disruption: Vimaan’s platform leverages computer vision-based technology including cameras, a sensor suite, and computer vision algorithms to view, understand, and digitally recreate inventory based on warehouse demands. It captures the environment with a proprietary and advanced hardware module and uses computer vision and AI models to gain actionable insights from the data. Its data capture systems can capture barcodes and a variety of inventory attributes including readability of text or logos, storage space utilization, object dimensioning, identifying inventory damage, and warehouse safety hazards including damaged pylons or racks. The data is delivered to the customer via an easy-to-use software application that connects to the customer’s WMS (warehouse management system) to offer detailed, actionable information. The entire Vimaan system can operate with existing workflows, requiring minimal infrastructure changes, and training for warehouse employees. Vimaan does not collect or retain any personally identifiable data. The platform runs on-premises servers at its clients’ locations.
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Outlook: Within warehouse management, the process of gathering inventory data is a significant constraint. Drones are considered to be a potential solution for inventory tracking in huge warehouses, where alternative technologies can be costly or time-consuming. While there have been advances in robots and warehouse automation over the last decade, Vimaan’s platform boasts to be the first of its kind to provide wall-to-wall coverage of warehouse inventory. It aims to transform inventory operations and empower warehouse managers across the industry with computer vision technology. According to the startup, its customers include Fortune 200 firms in telecom, contract manufacturing, electrical components, defense, and aerospace, as well as global top five players in the third-party logistics industry. By January 2022, Vimaan has accumulated a total of $25M from its seed and Series A financing rounds led by Wing VC, New Enterprise Associates (NEA), and Neotribe Ventures.
This article was originally published in Verdict.co.uk
