JLR trials a drone at its Wolverhampton base to carry out factory checks

A pilot project using a drone to check equipment and machinery at Jaguar Land Rover’s Wolverhampton’s site has cut inspection times by 95%, the firm said.

It cut a four-hour process at its Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre (EPMC) site to just 10 minutes, the manufacturer said.

The next phase of the project will see a drone being used to replace manual stock-taking at its Logistics Operations Centre in Solihull.

The drone – which can reach high and confined spaces – creates a 3D map of its surroundings to identify any issues and has a thermal camera to pinpoint overheating components or insulation failures, the firm said.

Shantnu Mehta, project engineer at JLR, said she had not imagined flying a drone would become part of her job.

“It’s been exciting to learn how to use this technology and the skills I’ve developed will stay with me throughout my career.”

Nigel Blenkinsop, executive director of industrial operations, said the trials helped improve employee safety and reduced maintenance downtime,

“Just as importantly, they’re helping upskill our people in the latest digital technologies, ensuring our teams are part of our factories of the future.”

The project will now switch to a huge warehouse at Solihull with a drone using barcode scanners to check inventory, aiming to “improve safety, reduce errors, and support smarter decisions on space, stock levels and supply flow”.