How LAPP Uses Drones to Automate Inventory
LAPP USA partnered with Corvus Robotics to solve a long-standing supply chain challenge: labor-intensive, error-prone inventory counting. In just 30 days, the Corvus One autonomous drone system was fully operational in LAPP’s 134,000 sq. ft. facility, driving a 13x increase in inventory counts, 60% labor cost reduction, and the elimination of weekend overtime.
For LAPP, this shift means reliable, real-time visibility into every reel of cable in its network. For the broader logistics industry, it’s a case study in how AI-driven, autonomous systems can replace repetitive manual work with continuous, data-rich insights that strengthen supply chain performance.
LAPP USA, a global provider of industrial cables and connectivity solutions, has introduced an autonomous drone system at its 134,000-square-foot facility in Brownsburg, Indiana. The deployment reflects a growing trend in warehousing: the use of drones to streamline inventory management, reduce labor demands, and increase accuracy.
Drones in the Warehouse
Warehouses are complex environments with thousands of items stored on high shelves and across expansive facilities. Traditional inventory management requires significant labor hours, repetitive manual checks, and, often, overtime shifts to keep pace with demand. By adopting drones that can fly autonomously through aisles and capture real-time data, companies are finding ways to increase both speed and accuracy.
At LAPP USA, drones now complete full inventory counts 26 times per year—up from just twice annually under the old system. The shift has also eliminated weekend cycle counts, improving work-life balance for staff. “Getting the inventory in, in real-time, seeing where it is, and being able to allocate it right away to the customer is a tremendous benefit for us,” said Jason Beltran, Facility Manager at LAPP USA.
Efficiency and Accuracy Gains
The introduction of drones has not only increased coverage but also reduced labor costs by 60 percent, according to LAPP. Staff once dedicated to manual counting have been redeployed to other areas of the business. Automated discrepancy reports and imaging capabilities provide more visibility into stock location, helping the facility respond faster to customer needs.
For companies managing distribution and manufacturing under one roof, as LAPP does, these efficiencies can strengthen supply chain agility and reduce errors that delay shipments.
Broader Industry Implications
The Brownsburg deployment, powered by Corvus Robotics, illustrates how quickly drone systems can deliver measurable results. For the U.S., where policy discussions increasingly focus on reshoring and strengthening domestic production, automation technologies such as warehouse drones provide a way to increase competitiveness while offsetting labor shortages.
As warehouses expand and product demand grows more complex, drones offer a way to close the gap between what traditional processes can handle and what modern supply chains require.
As more companies explore automation, drones are becoming a key tool in transforming warehouse operations. The case of LAPP USA highlights how quickly these systems can deliver measurable benefits, from cost savings to improved accuracy and faster delivery.
For warehouse operators, drones may no longer be experimental technology—they are becoming part of the everyday toolkit for efficient, data-driven inventory management.
About Corvus Robotics:
Embodied AI: Corvus One is not remotely piloted. It’s a self-governing physical system that perceives and acts in real-world 3D environments without GPS or localization beacons.
Computer Vision: Using onboard cameras and advanced vision algorithms, the drone recognizes barcodes, labels, and rack positions, even in complex, high-density warehouses.
Machine Learning: Each flight improves accuracy. The system detects labeling errors, misplaced reels, or empty slots, generating automated discrepancy reports that warehouse teams can act on immediately.
Autonomous Navigation: Corvus One dynamically maps warehouse aisles, avoids obstacles, and executes missions nightly without human intervention, delivering ready-to-use reports by the next morning.
