Ericsson Demonstrates Indoor 5G Drone in Smart Factory

Ericsson has successfully completed a proof-of-concept drone project at its USA 5G Smart Factory in Lewisville, Texas, demonstrating the use of an autonomous drone to perform indoor missions.

The company used the drone to complete autonomous inventory checks of the warehouse’s higher shelves. Ericsson said the project showcases the potential of drones for autonomous barcode scanning and inventory management. 

The drone is powered by a Qualcomm processor and comes equipped with indoor-optimized flight control, 5G-connected Nest docking station and live video streaming cameras. 

It can also connect to Ericsson’s own end-to-end 5G network, with the company saying the project marks a “new milestone” in integrating 5G technology into industrial processes.

“This successful demo helps lay the foundation for future integration of 5G-powered drones in industrial settings, particularly for inventory management,” said Carlos H. Torres, head of industry 4.0 at Ericsson’s 5G Smart Factory. “At the same time, this proof of concept…shows Ericsson’s commitment to advancing the non-mobile broadband ecosystem.”

The company noted that the project is intended purely as a proof of concept and is not currently intended to address the needs of the USA 5G Smart Factory. 

Related:Ericsson Gives PQC Progress Report at Mobile World Congress

The news comes a week after Ericsson announced it is investing an additional $50 million into its smart factory to accelerate production, adding to the initial $100 million investment at the site’s launch in 2020.

Ericsson said the additional funding will help accelerate production of 5G products and support growing U.S. demand, meeting the nation’s Build America Buy America Act, which was signed into law three years ago.

“President Biden is laser-focused on bringing fast, affordable, and secure connectivity to every part of our nation so that all Americans can share in the benefits of the digital age,” said Asad Ramzanali,  White House Office of Science and Technology. “Today’s announcement is welcome news that will help support ongoing work to connect more Americans.”