In 2025, drones have transcended their initial roles in delivery and surveillance to become critical in revolutionising warehouse operations, particularly within the fashion industry’s supply chain. This transformation is not merely about technological advancement but signifies a strategic shift towards enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and sustainability in inventory management.

The Birth of Drone Delivery: Amazon’s Prime Air
Amazon’s announcement of its ‘Prime Air’ project in 2013 was a significant moment in the evolution of drone logistics. Though initially met with scepticism, it marked the beginning of mainstream interest in autonomous aerial delivery. Amazon executed its first successful Prime Air drone delivery in the UK on December 7, 2016. The delivery, which took place in Cambridge, involved a Fire TV Stick and a bag of popcorn reaching the customer in just 13 minutes (The Guardian, 2016). This bold move inspired other sectors, including fashion retail, to explore drone-enabled logistics. Amazon’s Prime Air initiative changed how fast-fashion brands think about delivery. It turned drones from futuristic ideas into practical tools for quick, trend-based fulfilment. More importantly, it raised consumer expectations for faster service. As a result, fashion retailers now need to respond to trends more quickly, shorten delivery times, and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

The Evolution of Warehouse Drones
Traditionally, inventory management in warehouses has been a labour-intensive process, prone to human error and inefficiencies. The integration of drones equipped with advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and computer vision has addressed these challenges head-on. These autonomous aerial systems can navigate complex warehouse environments, scan barcodes or RFID tags, and provide real-time inventory data, significantly reducing the time and resources required for stocktaking (Supply Chain Today, 2024).

According to a 2025 report by The Business Research Company, the warehouse drones system market is projected to grow from $3.60 billion in 2024 to $4.07 billion in 2025, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.1 per cent. The growth during this period can be attributed to several key factors, including the rising demand for warehouse automation, the growing need for precise inventory management, and increasing labour costs that encouraged the shift towards automated solutions. Additionally, supportive government regulations and incentives played a significant role in accelerating adoption. The surge in demand for contactless and remote operations, especially in response to health and safety concerns, also contributed to the widespread implementation of automated inventory technologies.

Scope of Drones in Fashion Retail Supply Chains
The fashion industry, characterised by rapid trend cycles and high inventory turnover, stands to gain significantly from drone integration in supply chain operations. Drones streamline inventory management in warehouses handling diverse SKUs, such as seasonal clothing lines or limited-edition accessories. By using AI-powered drones with RFID scanning, fashion retailers like Zara or H&M can track stock levels in real-time, ensuring accurate availability for fast-fashion demands. This reduces overstocking or stockouts, critical for trend-sensitive markets. Drones also enhance quality control by inspecting garments for defects during storage, minimising returns due to damaged goods. For example, drones equipped with high-resolution cameras can scan fabric integrity on high shelves, a task that is time-consuming and risky for workers. Additionally, drones support sustainability goals by optimising warehouse layouts to reduce energy use, aligning with eco-conscious brands like Patagonia. In last-mile delivery, drones can expedite shipping of high-demand items, such as runway-inspired pieces, directly from micro-warehouses to customers, enhancing responsiveness. By integrating drones with predictive analytics, fashion retailers can forecast trends and adjust inventory dynamically, ensuring agility in a competitive market. These advancements position drones as a transformative tool for fashion supply chains.

Real-World Industry Applications

IKEA’s Implementation of Autonomous Drones
IKEA has been at the forefront of integrating drone technology into its warehouse operations. The company has deployed over 250 drones across 73 warehouses in nine countries. These drones operate autonomously, conducting inventory counts and identifying misplaced items, thereby reducing the physical strain on human workers and allowing them to focus on more complex tasks (Kell, 2024).

GEODIS’s 24/7 Inventory Management
Logistics provider GEODIS, in partnership with Delta Drone, has been developing an automated drone solution for warehouse inventory over the past two years. The system features quadcopter drones with high-resolution cameras and a ground-based robot with a battery, enabling autonomous navigation and barcode scanning through indoor geolocation. This allows real-time data collection and integration with the Warehouse Management System (WMS). The innovation enables fully automated inventory during off-hours, improving safety, eliminating operational downtime, and reducing labour needs. After over 1,000 hours of successful testing in GEODIS sites in France—where a single drone inventoried 11,000 pallets in 6 hours with full accuracy—the solution is moving into industrialisation. By the end of 2018, the system was deployed globally, starting with one drone per five sites. This initiative marks a major step in GEODIS’s strategy towards next-generation logistics, emphasising automation, efficiency, and workplace safety (Geodis, 2022).

Corvus Robotics’ Lights-Out Warehousing
Corvus Robotics has upgraded its Corvus One drone to operate in dark, lights-out distribution centres without needing additional infrastructure like beacons or reflectors. Designed to streamline inventory management, the quadcopter performs daily scans of pallets and instantly compares results with WMS data. This real-time visibility helps identify stock discrepancies, reduce labour costs, and improve overall accuracy—without interrupting daily operations or requiring extra staff. The drone leverages computer vision and generative AI to navigate its environment, eliminating the need for Wi-Fi or lighting. It can be deployed in under a week and operates autonomously using a trained AI model of the facility. With a compact 2.5-foot wingspan, 12 cameras, lidar, and smart collision avoidance, the drone works safely even during warehouse hours. This innovation, backed by $18 million in Series A and seed funding from S2G Ventures and Spero Ventures, marks a major step towards efficient, infrastructure-free warehouse automation (Yellig, 2024).

Advantages of Drone Integration

Enhanced Efficiency and Accuracy
Drones can conduct inventory audits significantly faster than manual methods. For instance, Walmart’s drones can scan a volume of inventory in one hour that would otherwise require 50 human workers. This rapid data collection leads to more accurate inventory records and reduces the likelihood of stock discrepancies.

Improved Safety and Ergonomics
By handling tasks such as scanning high shelves, drones minimise the need for workers to perform physically demanding and potentially hazardous activities, thereby improving workplace safety and ergonomics.

Cost Savings
The automation of inventory processes leads to significant cost reductions. A PwC report estimates that drones could save businesses up to $127 billion in logistics and supply chain applications.

Challenges and Considerations
While drones provide speed and aerial access, practical limitations such as safety concerns, battery life, regulatory restrictions, and integration issues often hinder their widespread adoption in complex warehouse environments (Keshwji, 2025).

Operational Limitations in Complex Environments
Drones require clear overhead space and specific flight paths, making them less suitable for high-density warehouses with tall shelving and constant activity. Their dependence on GPS or other external guidance systems can also hinder performance indoors where signals may be unreliable.

Battery Constraints and Limited Uptime
Drones typically have short battery life and require frequent recharging, limiting their ability to support continuous operations. This makes them less effective during peak demand periods compared to Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), which can operate for extended hours and recharge autonomously.

Safety Risks in Confined Spaces
Operating drones in enclosed warehouse environments increases the risk of collisions, material dislodgment, and potential injuries. Safety concerns such as blunt force trauma or equipment damage, as highlighted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the national aviation authority of the United States, make drones a less predictable and secure choice compared to ground-based robots.

Regulatory and Legal Barriers
Drones face complex regulatory challenges, including FAA restrictions near airports and varying state-level drone laws. These requirements can delay deployment and add legal complexity, making large-scale adoption more difficult and less scalable than AMRs.

Integration Challenges with Existing Operations
Drones may struggle to integrate seamlessly into dynamic warehouse workflows due to environmental and spatial limitations. Their operation often requires dedicated setup and may disrupt existing processes, whereas AMRs are more adaptable and collaborative with human workers.

The Future Outlook
As drone technology evolves, its integration into fashion supply chains is set to redefine industry standards. Future advancements will likely include drones with enhanced autonomy and machine learning, enabling predictive inventory adjustments and seamless coordination with robotic systems for streamlined operations.

The push for sustainability will spur innovations in eco-friendly drone designs, such as solar-powered models, reducing environmental impact while supporting the industry’s green initiatives. The integration of drones into warehouse operations represents a significant leap forward in supply chain innovation. By embracing this technology, fashion retailers can achieve greater efficiency, accuracy, and sustainability, positioning themselves competitively in an increasingly dynamic market.