Drone pilot reinforces JLR’s priorities for 'Reimagine' strategy
With a drone pilot the latest development in JLR’s 'Reimagine' strategy for digitalisation and modernisation, key figures at JLR have shared what this and other digitalisation projects could mean for the automaker in the near future.
JLR's latest trial uses Flyability’s Elios 3 drone as part of its broader 'Reimagine' strategy to modernise manufacturing
JLR
In early December 2025, JLR unveiled a pilot project which has
seen the use of Flyability’s Elios 3 drone to carry out machinery and site
checks at its Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton.
The trial saw inspection time drop from four hours to just
10 minutes in what JLR project engineer Shantnu
Mehta described as “a major leap in operational efficiency”. He explained that
this drastic reduction in time spent on checks has allowed the team at the
Wolverhampton facility to “redeploy skilled teams to higher-value tasks and
keep production lines running smoothly with minimal disruption”.
He added that, as drones reduce the need for people to work
at height or in confined spaces, the deployment of drone technology has advantages
in terms of safety, as well as providing consistent, high-resolution visuals
that enhance inspection accuracy without compromising safety.
“Drones will help us shift from reactive to predictive
maintenance, reduce manual workloads and enhance safety,” Mehta told Automotive
Logistics. “They’re a key enabler of smarter, more agile supply chain
operations.”
How does JLR’s drone pilot fit within its broader
Reimagine strategy?
JLR announced its Remagine strategy in February 2021, aiming to deliver modern luxury through sustainability, digital innovation and agility. As Mehta described it, it’s a “roadmap for transforming JLR into a more resilient, future-focused business”.
From a supply chain and logistics perspective, key focuses
have been technology adoption, enhancements to supply chain visibility,
investment in talent development and building resilience.
Accelerating technology, connectivity and automation across
processes was a key expectation of Paulina
Chmielarz, digital innovation director for industrial operations at JLR,
when she was appointed
to her current role in August 2023 – from cloud systems to business process
automation to product lifecycle management.
Speaking to Automotive Logistics on the Red Sofa at
ALSC Digital Strategies Europe in December 2024, Chmielarz said: “Our fundamental
transformations are well underway, and big progress has been made in the PLM
and SAP space, so this journey will continue.”
She added: “We are now in a stage where we have strategic
initiatives which complement those big platforms or advanced usage of them, and
we also have a very big piece of work right now with all our data products, so
[we are] really advancing those things – we are, I would say, somewhere in the
middle of our journey.”
An important “strategic piece” of JLR’s digitalisation
journey has been carefully looking at the experience of its employees with the
digitalisation being brought in. Its ‘Revive’ strategy focused on improving the
quality of adoption of digital technologies and the experience of the workforce
to “make it much more effective after deployment [and ensure that] people actually
use it to their benefit and they feel comfortable with all this new technology”.
The remains an important consideration for JLR, with
training playing a crucial role in its drone trial. “Engineers receive hands-on
training in drone piloting, safety protocols and data capture,” Mehta stated. “The
process is designed to be accessible and scalable, ensuring teams can
confidently operate and maintain the technology.”
He described upskilling as “essential” as new technologies
such as drones and AI take on a larger role within the supply chain, adding: “As
we integrate more advanced technologies, we’re committed to ensuring our people
evolve with them, building a future-ready workforce that’s empowered to lead
innovation.”
Key implementation challenges
By their very nature, every pilot programme will inevitably encounter obstacles. For JLR, integrating drone data into existing systems and ensuring regulatory compliance were key considerations that had to be made before the trial could get properly underway. "Building trust in autonomous inspections also takes time, but early results have been very encouraging," added Mehta.
Where next?
Despite the fact that the use of drone technology is still being piloted in Wolverhampton, JLR has already announced that the next step of the trial will see drones being used to automate inventory checks at its Logistics Operations Centre in Solihull.
"The Wolverhampton pilot has shown clear benefits in speed, safety, and data quality," explained Mehta. "These results give us the confidence to expand and explore broader applications across industrial operations."
Why now?
Drones have been in use for inventory checks as well as machinery and site inspections since the 2010s, so one might wonder why now is the right time for JLR to introduce drones into its manufacturing and logistics centres. According to Mehta, that's because the technology has matured, and "advances in autonomy, safety and data analytics now allow drones to deliver real, measurable value".
More innovation to come at JLR
The drone pilot is part of JLR’s £3.8 billion annual
investment into industrial transformation, new products and technology, which
is being explored through its 'Open Innovation' programme. Launched in 2022, this
initiative has engaged with over 2,500 start‑ups globally, resulting in 36
formal collaborations to date.
Outside of the drone trial, Mehta noted that – through the Open Innovation programme – JLR is exploring
AI-driven logistics, digital twins and sustainable materials. “Expect more
collaborations and pilots that push boundaries and accelerate our
transformation journey,” he said.
