Every year, companies embark on the tedious task of conducting warehouse inventory, and counting all their stocks. While necessary, this process can be time-consuming. There are various types of inventories, each with different goals, ranging from basic stock control to more specific measures like label errors, product defects, or quantity discrepancies.

But which inventory method is suitable for your needs? Find out more about the different types of inventory and their purpose.

Different types of inventory: adapting the method to your company

Inventory according to fiscal year

Initial warehouse inventory is taken at the start of the business or year, before stock additions and purchases. In contrast, the final stocktaking is done at the end of the fiscal year, to determine remaining assets, sales and the impact of commercial activities.

Inventory Based on Frequency

There are 4 types of inventories based on the frequency at which they are conducted:

  • Annual fiscal inventory: This is used to confirm activity and accounting inventory, and is conducted once a year. This is a time-consuming inventory, since all stock references are counted in a short space of time. Generally speaking, the company has to put its business on pause for several days and mobilize many of its employees, even recruiting additional staff to complete the core workforce. It’s an inventory that requires thorough preparation and a lot of organization. This type of inventory also has a significant direct cost (material and staff mobilized) and indirect cost (cost of business interruption).

  • Periodic inventory count: Conducted several times a year, covering all stocked references.

    Cycle count: Regularly counting groups of references and products stored throughout the year, at defined periods. It enables you to prioritize the counting of certain references (according to their value, volume, turnover rate, etc.). It is scheduled periodically, reducing the workload compared with an annual inventory. As it only concerns certain parts of the warehouse, there’s generally no need to suspend activity, and available stock quantities can be updated more regularly. This type of logistics inventory count is less time-consuming and more flexible, but it does require upstream organization and a great deal of discipline. In addition, this type of inventory count enables each location or part number to be checked more than once, thus increasing the quality of stock data.

  • Perpetual inventory count: systematically counting all incoming and outgoing items in real time. This type of warehouse inventory requires a more complex infrastructure but ensures that stock is always up to date. In particular, it requires digital management via third-party software.

Inventory based on product and its type

For this type of inventory, products are classified into different categories, so that they can be inventoried separately. Although not the most widespread, this type of inventory can be useful, since the storage system or movements of different products will differ from one category to another. These inventories include:

  • Inventory of raw materials needed to manufacture final goods and products;
  • Inventory of industrial supplies used in production processes;
  • In-process inventory;
  • Inventory of finished goods (available for sale);
  • Inventory of goods for resale (goods acquired for resale purposes and which have not undergone any significant production or transformation by the reselling company)

Inventory by function

Depending on how your warehouse is organized, some areas are often organized by function (as may be the case for in-transit or reserve stocks) rather than by product type. In such cases, it may be appropriate to use an inventory that focuses on the function of the goods, rather than their type. In this case, inventories may be considered for :

Stock in transit, refers to goods in transit between the warehouse, the supplier, and the company (goods which have been ordered and are about to be dispatched). Depending on the volume of business and the flow of goods, it can sometimes exceed warehouse stock.

Reserve or safety stock is intended to prevent stock shortages (due to supplier delays, internal malfunctions, variations in demand or economic conditions).

Lastly, decoupling stock is used to differentiate between logistics inventory before and after production, by measuring the rate of goods sold out.

Other types of inventory

There are a multitude of other types of inventory that can be used to address specific issues or provide business-specific metrics. These include, for example, the inventory of inactive, dead or lost stock (which makes it possible to reference products that cannot be marketed for various reasons: expiration date, deterioration, defective product, etc.); the inventory of available stock (products that can enter directly into the sales cycle).

Which method of inventory is best suited to my needs?

The choice of inventory method to be adopted is largely influenced by the nature of the company and the particularities of its operations. Each company will choose its type of inventory to match the issues and constraints of its business and the resources at its disposal. It is therefore essential to understand operational needs to ensure optimal inventory management.

First of all, ask yourself what the main objective of this inventory is. Is it primarily to address accounting concerns, to ensure inventory accuracy, or to meet other specific business needs?

For example, in a logistics warehouse with a high flow of goods and a large volume of part numbers, it may be worthwhile to set up a permanent inventory, as the volume of activity is likely to generate numerous stock errors. On the other hand, a small warehouse with few references and few flows may be satisfied with an annual or periodic inventory, as its activity is limited.

Combining several logistical inventory methodologies to meet different objectives is also a common practice. For example, keeping an annual physical inventory combined with a cycle counting inventory of all or part of your stock may be a good way of meeting the challenges of closing financial accounts and ensuring stock quality, a requirement with an operational purpose.

Automating my logistics inventory to maximize profitability

Although there are many different types of warehouse inventory, the main aim of each method is to optimize storage and inventory management and maximize the profitability of operations. With this in mind, the automation of inventory control appears to be an essential solution for increasing efficiency and productivity.

In addition to its accuracy, automation reduces the labor costs involved in logistical inventories (fewer work-related accidents, higher productivity), and provides better inventory visibility.

There are many automation solutions, including:

  • WMS software functionalities;
  • Installation of a connected infrastructure in the warehouse;
  • The use of inventory drones.

Improve inventory accuracy with the EYESEE drone inventory solution

Our EYESEE drone inventory solution is designed to simplify and optimize inventory processes, with a particular focus on cycle counts. Its core operation is based on counting locations and reading barcode labels. It is specially designed for accurate counting of SKUS in filmed and complete pallets.

Its light weight and infrastructure-free autonomy mean it can be used efficiently aisle after aisle, scanning around 500 locations per hour, making it suitable for both annual physical inventories (using several drones in parallel) and cycle counts (with a single drone). The ability to operate at heights of up to 15 meters also simplifies internal organization. There’s no need to book or hire scissor lifts to scan high locations, making it a practical solution that’s easy to integrate into cycle counting operations.

If you’d like to find out more about the benefits of using the EYESEE solution, please contact our team or fill in the form below to test your logistics site’s eligibility.

What is the cycle counting inventory ?

Effective inventory management is a crucial pillar of the supply chain, directly influencing the profitability and efficiency of operations. At the core of this management is the obligation to conduct an annual stock inventory to substantiate, from a tax perspective, the accuracy of the evaluation of the assets and liabilities of the company’s heritage.

Beyond this regulatory necessity, stock inventory serves primarily to generate various performance indicators to optimize the supply chain effectively.

To meet this legal requirement, businesses have the option to choose from several inventory methods, each presenting its own advantages and disadvantages: annual inventory, cycle counting inventory, periodic inventory, or perpetual inventory.

But, what is cycle counting? What is its role, its advantages? How can it be implemented to optimize your operations?

 

Annual inventory or cycle counting : which one to choose ?

The annual inventory is an inventory conducted 1 to 2 times a year, often close to the end of the financial statement period. It involves taking stock of all inventory in a warehouse and is considered the traditional inventory method.

Conducting an annual inventory can be a good choice for businesses with limited stock or whose operations can be temporarily halted without significant disruption. During an annual inventory, the entire stock must be scanned in a short period, often requiring a complete interruption of all logistical activities and the allocation of significant financial resources (such as renting lifts, mobilizing personnel, etc.).

To audit the entirety of an inventory in a medium-sized warehouse (18,500m²), with an average of 120 locations scanned per hour, it would require:

  • Halting production for a full 3 days, with 8 hours per day of inventory time.
  • Mobilizing 12 full-time personnel.
  • Renting 6 forklifts.
  •  

On the contrary, cycle counting, by segmenting inventory activities, allows for partial inventories of the warehouse throughout the year, ensuring the continuity of logistical activities. Requiring annual planning, it particularly enhances the performance of the logistics warehouse by:

  • Improving inventory accuracy.
  • Accelerating the detection of defective items.
  • Providing indicators that can support strategic decisions (unknown shrinkage).
  • Allowing for monitoring of stock levels and preventing overstock or stockouts.

These two approaches can complement or substitute each other: many companies implement cycle counting in addition to an annual physical inventory to have complete control over their inventory process. It’s also possible to replace the legal annual inventory with cycle counting. In this case, the inventory procedure must be validated by an auditor who ensures the reliability of the implemented inventory process.

 

Cycle Counting: Essentials for implementation !

You’ve made the decision to implement cycle counting as a complement or replacement for your traditional inventory processes! What are the different methods and steps to ensure the effectiveness of your cycle counting?

Key elements to consider when creating your procedure

The implementation of a cycle counting requires thorough planning. To establish a reliable and effective procedure, it is essential to consider: 

    • Number of References: Determine in advance how many references are stored in the logistics warehouse. Among these references, you can identify, for example, the number of high-value products, products that require more frequent verification, or products based on their location (references stored at height or in picking areas).

    • Available Resources for Inventory: Estimate the number of employees and the time they can allocate to stock counting.

    • Time Windows for Cycle Counting: Depending on the industry, certain time frames may be more suitable for cycle counting, such as late afternoon when the bulk of the day’s logistic flow has passed.

    • Counting Frequency: Evaluate how often you want to check your stock references.

 

Various methods of cycle counting

To enhance stock control, you can employ different cycle counting methods, such as:

ABC Counting: Based on the Pareto principle (20% of references represent 80% of sales), this is one of the most commonly used techniques. Products are classified into different categories: Category A items represent references that generate a significant portion of revenue, Category B items account for 25% of references and 10% of revenue, etc. Categories can be defined based on sales volume or the market value of products. Subsequently, the counting frequency for different categories needs to be determined (counting high-volume or high-value products may be beneficial as these references have the most impact on business).

Counting by Physical Area: Independently of references, the warehouse is divided into several zones (e.g., aisles). The counter is responsible for checking all references in their assigned zone.

Control Group: Involves counting a small group of references multiple times over a very short period to reveal errors in counting techniques.

Random Sampling: Random selection of several references to be counted. This counting can be done daily to ensure the reliability of the stock.

Most companies combine these methods in a hybrid approach to achieve the most accurate results possible.

 

Automating Cycle Counting in addition to or instead of annual fiscal inventory : available warehouse tools

Implementing a cycle counting process can be tedious: automating all or part of your process can significantly improve inventory accuracy and enable you to generate reliable indicators.

Moreover, in addition to its precision, automation can also help reduce labor costs (fewer workplace accidents, increased productivity) and ensure better visibility into the state of your stocks.

Various solutions are available to automate your inventory, including:

    • Specific features developed by Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).
    • Installation of a connected infrastructure in the warehouse.
    • The use of inventory robots or drones.
 

Using the EYESEE inventory drone in your processes

We have designed the EYESEE inventory drone solution to streamline and enhance inventory processes, particularly cycle counting.

Its primary operation is based on physical area counting (although reconnaissance missions are possible) of full SKUs (wrapped and complete pallets).

Due to its lightweight design and infrastructure-free operation, it can be moved from aisle to aisle and can scan an average of 500 locations per hour. Therefore, its use is suitable for both annual fiscal inventory and cycle counting.

Its capability to operate up to 15 meters in height also facilitates internal organization: there is no need to reserve or rent lifts to scan high locations, making it particularly easy to use in concurrent activities and, thus, in cycle counting.

Several users of the EYESEE solution have transitioned their internal processes to cycle counting. If you would like to discover all the benefits of implementing an EYESEE drone, feel free to contact our teams or fill out the form below to assess the eligibility of your logistics site.

The 100% Grenoble-based drone inventory solution, EYESEE, reinforces its commitment to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) through a study supported by ADEME, as part of the « TREMPLIN pour la transition écologique » program.  

Grenoble, September 28, 2023 – DARWIN DRONES, an inventory company dedicated to the marketing, support and software development of the EYESEE solution for the logistics market, has just completed its first study in collaboration with ADEME.

Already committed internally to a proactive CSR approach, the company has decided to continue its efforts and has initiated an initial diagnosis to analyze the environmental performance of its solution in order to define development priorities.

Life Cycle Assessment : the most advanced and standardized tool for the comprehensive and mutli-criteria evaluation of environmental impacts.

 « Premiers pas éco-conception » project conducted during this life cycle assesment focuses on two phases : first, the transportation phase of the equipment to the inventory location, and then the usage phase (primarily the energy consumed during the inventory).

The initial results are encouraging : the study confirms that the EYESEE solution has a lower environmental impact compared to traditional inventory methods (up to 4 times more efficient).

Eric Pierrel, president of the inventory company Darwin Drones, is pleased with these initial results, convinced that the future of logistics lies in reducing its environmental impact through automation and intelligent inventory management :

« The logistics sector currently represents 10% of the national GDP, with a turnover of 200 billion euros and employing 1.8 million people in France. It is a vital organ for the functioning of our society. Unfortunately, it is also a sector with a significant environmental impact. Being able to contribute, on ours cale, to a reduction in our carbon footprint is already a victory, and we are committed to continuing our efforts in this direction ».

There is no doubt that this initial approach will directly interest the end customers of Darwin Drones as the results provide decision-making keys to choose the most suitable solution to address the environmental challenges of their logistics chains.

Logistics in motion

This action is part of the broader transformation of the logistics industry. In recent years, the sector has been increasing its efforts towards greater energy efficiency.

France Logistique has developed an CSR framework for the transport and logistics sector to assist them in implementing an CSR policy. Additionally, they have created a charter of mutual commitments comprising about thirty commitments to accelerate the contribution of logistics real estate to ecological transition and economic recovery.

In 2024, Darwin Drones plans to further develop its CSR initiatives by conducting new comprehensive impact assessments to continue its growth while ensuring the environmental cohérence of its activities.

Press contact : Darwin Drones – Justine LUCAS – +33 7 70 02 95 25 – justine.lucas@eyesee-drone.com

About Darwin Drones 

Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Grenoble, Darwin Drones specializes in the development and marketing of industrial logistics automation solutions, particularly using drones. The inventory company also provides associated service offerings. The company is dedicated to marketing, supporting, and software development of the EYESEE solution for the logistics market.  

Key figures

  • 16 employees
  • Over 600 000 scanned locations
  • More than 40 drones deployed

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In this interview, Eric Pierrel, President and co-founder of Darwin Drones the inventory company, tells us about EYESEE’s successes since the beginning of 2023.

Can you tell us more about the first successes since the last fundraising?

“Since the last fundraising, the EYESEE drone inventory solution has been deployed at many customers such as CNHI (Iveco), Aptar, GKN Driveline, or BM Stores…
Our historical customers have also upgraded to the latest version of the solution, such as DB Schenker, Renault Trucks, Le Roy Logistique, Caterpillar…
Our partnership with Hardis Group also continues (events, press, content).

Being part of the global improvement of the operational efficiency of the logistics world also means being visible in the showrooms of consulting companies and for this reason, we have installed two drones at Stratégies & Co (PwC) and Deloitte in Canada”.

What are the priorities and objectives of the EYESEE inventory company for 2023?

“With this latest fundraising, the challenge is to accelerate EYESEE commercially and operationally, both by continuing to serve historical customers to help them benefit from the solution and by supporting new customers in improving their operational efficiency.

In technical terms, the challenges of the coming months are both to improve the drone solution itself, and in particular its reading speed and ease of use. On the other hand, we are investing in the improvement of the Cloud part of the solution to facilitate the analysis of the inventory data collected by the drone via the implementation of dashboards.

Beyond the historical commercial deployment of the solution, we are starting to structure our international approach by identifying local partners for our customers. These include:
IT Genetics in Romania, Checklist Do Brasil in Brazil, Quotes4drones in England.”

What are the dates to remember for this new year?

“This year has started off on a high note with many events.
Like every year, we participated in the SITL (Transport and Logistics Innovation Week).

This year was also marked by the organization of a Roadshow in the AFTRAL centers of France (training centers in transport and logistics). Several demonstrations took place in Grenoble, Moulins, Saint Quentin Fallavier, Chambéry, Valence, Arnas & Montpellier. EYESEE continues its tour of France with several demos scheduled including one on June 20th at AFTRAL Nice.

We will also have the opportunity to present EYESEE at the Modernlog exhibition, on May 30 and 31 in Poznań (Poland) on the stand of our partner Hardis Group Polska.
Other events in France and internationally are planned for the second half of 2023.

Are you planning to implement a CSR approach?

” Yes, for the last few months, we have been working on an analysis of the life cycle of the EYESEE solution versus the traditional solution (inventory with cradles). In this context, we have responded to several calls for projects and we are the winners of the EETE call for projects “Entreprises Engagées pour la Transition Écologique” (Companies Committed to Ecological Transition) supported by ADEME.

We are also laureate of the call for innovative projects of the Club Déméter, dedicated to the development of supply chain solutions integrating CSR issues as well as nominated for the Agora Awards Supply Chain 2023 in the category “Best company of the year in the field of Intralogistics”.

Before the end of the year, we will be able to propose a detailed report on the environmental gains offered by the EYESEE solution with precise data and field analysis.

drone inventaire

EYESEE is delighted to have participated in the Vertical Forum 2023 at the Swiss Aeropôle in Payerne. On this occasion, many companies were present to discuss the professional use of drones (logistics, construction, agriculture, security, audiovisual, civil engineering, urbanism & real estate).

Thanks to Stanley Schmitt, director of Vertical Master (Training and Consulting) for the opportunity.

The objective of Vertical Forum is to create a meeting place between manufacturers, operators and regulators of all types of drones through presentations and demos.
The 2023 edition was very successful with a good audience, the presence of Swiss media (RTS) and especially drone actors from the three linguistic regions of the country.

Vertical Master had been planning for several months to explore the segment of drone use in logistics. This segment is not yet well known by drone players who are more on inspection or mapping. EYESEE Inventory Drone, with its very innovative solution, seemed to us to be the ideal candidate to enter the logistics world” explains Stanley Schmitt.

“I was delighted to participate in this 2023 edition of the Vertical Forum in Payerne. The solutions and interventions proposed by the different actors present at this conference were all of great quality as were the exchanges before and after the event. We are looking forward to develop partnerships and strengthen our development in this country. Vertical Master is the right place to strengthen our presence and eventually integrate EYESEE in its training catalog. EYESEE is a solution integrating an automatic drone to control stocks by scanning codes in industrial pallets which requires the presence of a trained supervisor – no need to be a “drone telepilot”. Despite this we are fully part of the drone ecosystem as these are our origins. See you soon in Switzerland”.

Clément Roulet Dubonnet – Marketing Director EYESEE

What are the future synergies with Vertical Master?

Vertical Master could offer a global solution to Swiss customers interested in integrating drones in their inventories. This global solution could include the equipment but also the complete integration of the solution with training and after sales service. Note that Vertical Master would also be able to bring its drone expertise in national languages (French, German and Italian). To be continued…

EYESEE exhibited its latest innovations in warehouse technology at the 40th edition of the Transport and Logistics Innovation Week (SITL), which took place from March 28 to 30 at the Porte de Versailles in Paris.

SITL has become one of the main events for transport and logistics professionals. The international trade show, which is celebrating its 40th edition this year, brings together all supply chain players from sectors as diverse as intralogistics, robotics, IT systems and logistics real estate. The 2023 edition gathered more than 24,000 participants and 500 exhibitors.

For this 40th edition, the inventory by drone was in the spotlight on our booth D113.
On this occasion, participants were able to see the drone in flight in the Drone Valley and discuss with our team.

EYESEE is a solution designed to help manufacturers and logisticians increase their operational efficiency. It allows to carry out the inventory by collecting automatically the data of stocks of the warehouses. The solution can be deployed in a few days, without any modification of the warehouse or addition of infrastructure.

With an average productivity of 400 locations/hour, EYESEE allows you to increase the reliability of your inventory data while reducing the risks on your site.

The drone inventory solution complies with all current industry standards. It helps 3PLs and logistics departments of manufacturers to eliminate inventory errors before they become downstream problems. L’Oréal, Bayer, GKN Driveline, Le Roy Logistique, Ikea, Aptar and many others have already chosen EYESEE. 

Video review of the highlights of this event:

Interested in deploying the EYESEE solution in your warehouse?

Check the eligibility of your site by clicking on the button 👇

A question about the features of the logistic drone, its autonomy or its advantages? We answer all your questions in this article 👇

1. Who are the customers who use the EYESEE inventory robot?

The solution is adapted to each type of warehouse:

  • Distribution centers
  • Industrial production/maintenance sites with rack storage
  • Logistics service providers (3PL)
  • Retailers using racks

The logistic drone can be used in warehouses along the value chain (raw material warehouses, production sites, finished goods warehouses). All you need is a palletized warehouse.

Factory warehouse

Distribution & retail warehouse

Among our customers who have deployed the solution in Europe

 2. What kind of tags can EYESEE read?

3. Is the drone able to count?

No, the logistic drone EYESEE does not count stocks (the number of goods on a pallet). This drone is designed to ideally read the HU tags (barcodes on full pallets filmed in the Handling Unit). It provides accurate stock data with photos and thus allows to detect empty pallets, obstacles and to anticipate position errors beforehand.

4. How long does it take to scan a warehouse?

It depends on the type of inventory you adopt and the frequency you use the solution. Another important factor is the size of your warehouse. The EYESEE solution can read an average of 400 locations per hour and the battery pack provided allows for about 2 hours of flight time. The calculation is simple :). Depending on the warehouse and the size of the locations, the efficiency can reach 800 locations per hour.

5. Is the drone fully autonomous?

No, EYESEE is a solution that requires the presence of an operator to supervise the flight of the drone. However, the operator does not need to be trained to fly the drone or to use joysticks. Simply pressing the buttons on the application is enough. During an inventory mission, the drone operator makes sure that the flight is going well, and can also report problems on the tablet application (points of interest related to the goods, the pallet or the rack for example).

When the logistic drone finishes its inventory mission (one side of an aisle) it lands and touches down. The operator must also change the battery when necessary and move the drone to the next aisle.

6. How long does it takes to deploy the solution?

It’s quick. There are a total of 3 training sessions: 2 short sessions of training on EYESEE Cloud remotely and 2 to 3 days of training on the use of the drone on site (most frequently when the equipment is delivered). It is not necessary to have a telepilot license.

These sessions are spread over a typical period of 12 weeks from the date of order (can be accelerated depending on stock availability).

Important point: no infrastructure or addition of codes or labels for localization is required.

deployment of inventory robot eyesee

After 4 demos in the AFTRAL centers of Grenoble, Moulins, Saint-Quentin-Fallavier and Bourg-en-Bresse, EYESEE continues its roadshow in Valence and La Motte-Servolex.

On February 21 and 22, 2023, our team went to the AFTRAL centers of Valence and La Motte Servolex, for a flight demonstration of the EYESEE solution.

On the agenda:

  • Short presentation of the solution.
  • Flight demonstration of the interior racks dedicated to the training of AFTRAL students.
  • Q&A and exchanges on logistics.

Video feedback on these 2 demos 👇

“This partnership with AFTRAL is really an obvious one. It is a win-win event. Indeed, we have the same interest in bringing logistics professionals, either who want to discover innovative solutions, or who want to recruit staff to run their warehouses or drive their trucks. We have also recruited a former student of Aftral who is now in charge of drone deployment at EYESEE”, says Clément Roulet-Dubonnet.

After these events in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region, next demonstrations are currently being organized in different regions in order to meet and show on the field how the EYESEE solution works. Contact us if you would like to organize a demo in your facility or warehouse.

The next events to note :

  • March 01, 2023 at the AFTRAL in Arnas (Villefranche-sur-Saône)
  • March 10 and 11, 2023 at the AFTRAL in Montpellier

The AFTRAL x EYESEE partnership expands

Launched in the summer of 2021, the partnership between AFTRAL through its many training centers and EYESEE, the drone inventory solution, is gaining momentum during the EYESEE Roadshow. The demonstration carried out on the site of Saint Quentin Fallavier led by Elodie Labrune launched the 2023 season off to a flying start.

drone inventaire Eyesee en vol

The event was enhanced by the testimony of Le Roy Logistique

Maxime Vincendeau and Michaël Motte from Le Roy Logistique, an EYESEE client for several years, came to testify about their use of the solution in their own warehouses. This testimonial made it possible to make the demonstration in a monitored environment (in this case the training center) even more practical and to illustrate it with production use cases in active warehouses.

Salle comble à l'AFTRAL

“We are very grateful to Le Roy Logistique for coming to testify about their use of EYESEE. Who’s better than a customer to talk about our solution?”

– says Clément Roulet-Dubonnet

Saint Quentin Fallavier, a dense and innovative logistics center

The demonstration on January 23, 2023 took place in the heart of the Chesne business park in Saint Quentin Fallavier. This extremely dense area is home to numerous regional, national and international logistics and industrial companies.

“In our policy, it’s important to us to rely on the local ecosystem. In this regard, to make ourselves known, it was quite natural to begin nearby – EYESEE is based in Grenoble. We are really grateful to AFTRAL and Elodie Labrune in particular. She opened the doors of her logistics and transport training center to us, which is perfectly suited for demonstrations of our pallet inventory solution by drone.” – adds Clément Roulet-Dubonnet, VP Marketing”

The area’s many companies are always on the lookout for new talent and new ways to improve their productivity, performance and reduce their environmental impact: in a word, innovation.

The success of an event that filled up quickly

The event organized in a few months was quickly a success, the organizers then decided to double the sessions to respect the maximum capacity of the center. In the end, dozens of companies came to the different sessions, represented by about fifty people.

Following this great demonstration, next demos of the other AFTRAL centers on the EYESEE Roadshow list will be organized throughout the year in different areas in order to meet and show in the field how the EYESEE solution works.

Thanks to AFTRAL, all the EYESEE team and Le Roy Logistique

Grenoble, France, December 8, 2022 – The startup Darwin Drones, which develops and markets the Eyesee drone inventory count, announces a €1 million round of funding, bringing in the Groupe Idec through its investment subsidiary Team Invest Innovation, the Crédit Agricole Alpes Développement, as well as several business angels.

Accelerating sales of the drone inventory count in France and Europe

The startup now has the necessary means for the commercial deployment of Eyesee to logistics and industrial sites in France and abroad. After having attracted first customers such as L’Oréal, Bayer, DB Schenker, and Leroy Logistique, who adopted the Eyesee offer since its prototype stage, Darwin Drones is now aiming to set up a network of distributors and integrators in its main target markets.

This fundraising, following an initial market validation, confirms the relevance of Eyesee’s positioning to automate and make the inventory processes of industrial and logistic sites more reliable. We are delighted to welcome new shareholders who are commited to our side. This funding allows us to start our acceleration and internationalization phase with serenity and determination.”, comments Eric Pierrel, president of Darwin Drones.

An innovative solution « made in Grenoble »

Eyesee was born in 2015 from a Grenoble-based collaboration combining the logistics DNA of Hardis Group and the industrial drone expertise of Squadrone System. It was therefore quite obvious for Darwin Drones to approach investors active in the Grenoble area, in particular Crédit Agricole Alpes Développement and Grenoble Angels.

The Eyesee project, led by Darwin Drones, showcases Grenoble’s technological and commercial expertise on a national level and is now beginning its international journey. We are delighted to be able to support this project and especially the management team, which combines an ability to listen with notable responsiveness and dynamism.“, explains Rami Hassoun, equity investor at Crédit Agricole Alpes Développement.

For us, supporting such a project means that we believe in the strong development potential of the Eyesee inventory drone solution dedicated to stocktaking within logistics sites using an autonomous drone. Eyesee has been proven for more than 5 years with many customers already using it, demonstrating impressive results compared to traditional stocktaking methods. Darwin Drones is determined to deploy this disruptive solution on a larger scale in France and internationally for the logistics sector, which is always on the lookout for innovative and reliable solutions to improve productivity. Finally, Eyesee was created and developed in the Grenoble area by experts in logistics and drone engineering, it was thus important to support this project in its commercial launch phase.”, explains Jean-Yves Costa, the project’s instructor and investor at Grenoble Angels.

Synergy-building investors

The development of partnerships being a strong vector for growth for Darwin Drones, the recent fundraising is also an opportunity to create synergies. Thus, the Groupe Idec, a major player in real estate and construction, which operates as a planner and developer, investor, turnkey designer-builder, and creator of energy solutions, is joining the Eyesee project to accelerate its market access.

Our stake in Eyesee is the result of a global approach to the need for tools that promote the development of industry and logistics 4.0“, comments Patrice Lafargue, President of Groupe Idec. “We are thrilled to partner with the Darwin Drones team and its other shareholders to develop this project, which combines an innovative vision and a pragmatic approach to strengthen the digitalization of logistics platforms. We have an incredible portfolio of projects with some 700,000 m2 of warehouses that we build each year and the nearly 1,700,000 m2 of buildable space throughout France to give this innovative solution a tremendous boost.

Thanks to the press!

About Darwin Drones

Founded in 2021, Darwin Drones is specialized in the development and marketing of industrial logistics automation solutions, especially by drone. Darwin Drones also provides services associated with this activity. The company is dedicated to the sales, support and software development of the Eyesee solution for the logistics market.

Press contact: Nora NESSER – +33(0)6.43.53.64.01 – nora.nesser@eyesee-drone.com

 

Société d'inventaire - Nouveau drone Eyesee

About Crédit Agricole Alpes Développement

C2AD is the private equity vehicle of Crédit Agricole Sud Rhône-Alpes and Crédit Agricole des Savoie. Crédit Agricole Alpes Développement is involved in venture capital, innovation capital, development capital and transmission capital (startup, SME and ETI). C2AD manages €100 million, invested in 180 companies.

www.ca-alpes-developpement.fr/

Press contact: Rami HASSOUN, – equity investor – rami.hassoun@ca-alpes-developpement.fr

About Groupe Idec

Groupe Idec is a major player in the real estate sector, bringing together more than twenty companies with expertise in their fields. It operates in France and abroad to plan, develop, finance
and provide innovative energy solutions, as well as to design and construct all types of buildings.
It positions itself as a responsible player in the energy transition and in limiting the artificialization of land. The company works with local authorities on each new operation to revitalize territories by creating new living and working spaces. This commitment translates into a desire to contribute to the green growth of cities, businesses and individuals, while meeting the challenges of
sustainable, coherent and pragmatic economic development.

Key figures:
▪ Year of creation: 2000
▪ 500 employees in France + 700 worldwide
▪ 500 million euros of Revenues
▪ 3 million m2 certified
▪ 20 companies in France
▪ + 1,000 Ha developed or in progress in France and internationally
▪ 260,000,000 euros of assets
▪ 700,000 m2 built each year
▪ + 20 logistics parks in France and abroad.

Press contact for Groupe Idec : Isabelle BIGOT – 06.16.06.91.23 – isabelle@calliope- event.com

About Grenoble Angels

Created in 2005, Grenoble Angels is an association affiliated with France Angels, the national federation of business angels. Grenoble Angels brings together a hundred local investors throughout the Isère department, who support and finance start-ups and innovative companies in their seed phase.

With more than 15 years of experience and over 200 projects funded, Grenoble Angels relies on the experience and expertise of its members to support local entrepreneurs and projects.

Grenoble Angels’ philosophy is based on the 3 C’s: the triple contribution of Business Angels in Capital, Competencies and Contacts.

Key figures since 2005:
-More than 1,000 investment opportunities investigated § 250 companies funded
-25 million euros invested by Business Angels
-200 applications received per year
-10 startups supported and funded every year

Follow Grenoble Angels:

Website: https://www.grenoble-angels.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grenobleangels
Twitter: https://twitter.com/grenobleangels

Press contact: Jonathan COLLOMB – délégué général- 04 76 28 25 32 – contact@grenoble- angels.com