Why warehouses are hiring drones instead of inventory counters

Warehouses have long relied on clipboards, forklifts, and teams of workers climbing ladders to count products. But inside one busy distribution center in Southern California, that routine is quietly changing. The newest inventory worker isn’t human, it’s a drone.

Corvus Robotics has deployed its Corvus One autonomous inventory drone system at the global headquarters and primary distribution center of skincare giant Dermalogica in Carson, California. The result? Faster warehouse scans, more frequent inventory checks, and hundreds of hours of manual labor are eliminated each month. And it’s a glimpse into what the future of warehouse operations might look like.

Drones scanning shelves instead of humans

Inside Dermalogica’s warehouse, the drone system performs fully autonomous aerial inventory scans when employees aren’t actively picking orders. Instead of workers manually counting stock aisle by aisle, the drone flies through the facility, capturing high-resolution images of inventory across the shelves.

The system scans the warehouse 52 times per year, dramatically increasing how often the facility gets a full view of its inventory.

Compared to the company’s previous manual cycle counting process, this represents a 600% increase in inventory imaging frequency.

Before the drones arrived, completing a full inventory pass through the warehouse could take as long as two months. It required a dedicated cycle counter to methodically inspect shelves across the facility.

Now the work happens automatically in the background.

The impact on operations has been immediate. Dermalogica says the deployment has freed up roughly 120 labor hours every month, allowing employees to focus on higher-value tasks rather than repetitive counting.

According to Jason Brown, Dermalogica’s Director of US Logistics, the installation itself was painless. “Deployment was seamless and required no downtime,” Brown said. “Corvus Robotics has become a valuable partner in modernizing our inventory management.”

Brown noted that the increased visibility helps the company maintain tight operational control over production and fulfillment. That’s particularly important for Dermalogica because the company manufactures high-value skincare products that are distributed globally across retail, wholesale, and e-commerce channels. With production closely tied to sales forecasts, accurate inventory data directly impacts revenue and customer experience.

Why warehouses are turning to drones

The Dermalogica deployment highlights a broader trend: warehouses are increasingly turning to autonomous aerial systems to track inventory more efficiently. Traditional inventory checks are time-consuming and prone to human error. But drones equipped with cameras, AI navigation, and computer vision can scan shelves quickly and consistently.

Corvus One drones operate without human pilots and don’t require any special infrastructure modifications inside the warehouse. Instead, the system relies on onboard AI and computer vision to navigate complex indoor environments and capture inventory data automatically. That data then integrates into existing warehouse management workflows.

For companies running high-volume distribution centers, the benefits go beyond labor savings. Frequent scans also improve space planning, capacity management, and inventory accuracy, helping businesses avoid costly stockouts or fulfillment errors.

Corvus Robotics CEO Jackie Wu says deployments like this reflect a shift happening across global supply chains. “Retailers and brands operating global distribution networks cannot afford blind spots,” Wu said. “Corvus One provides continuous, autonomous inventory intelligence without disrupting operations.”

In other words, warehouses are slowly evolving into environments where robots monitor inventory around the clock. The Corvus system is already being used by companies including GNC, MSI Surfaces, and Staci Americas. And as labor shortages and e-commerce demand continue to reshape logistics, autonomous inventory drones could become a common sight in distribution centers.

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