Factory innovation
JLR pilots drone inspections to cut factory downtime and improve safety
JLR’s drone pilot signals how digital tools are reshaping warehouse inventory checks and factory roles, with engineers now trained to fly drones as the company retools its UK operations for the transition to electric.
JLR has begun using drone technology to inspect equipment at its Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton, in a move the carmaker says will sharply reduce maintenance downtime and improve the safety of factory operations.
The trial, centred on Flyability’s Elios 3 drone, cuts the standard four-hour process for machinery and site checks to about ten minutes, a reduction of up to 95%, according to the company. The initiative forms part of JLR’s £18 billion investment programme and its broader Reimagine Strategy to modernise manufacturing as the group accelerates electrification.
Equipped with LiDAR sensors and thermal imaging, the drone can enter confined and elevated spaces typically accessed by maintenance crews using elevated platforms. Operated via a tablet, it generates real-time 3D maps to diagnose faults and identify overheating components or insulation failures, enabling earlier intervention and better energy efficiency.
Nigel Blenkinsop, JLR’s executive director of industrial operations, said the technology would “improve employee safety, reduce maintenance downtime and operate more efficiently,” adding that digital tools would also help upskill staff for “our factories of the future.”
The adoption of drones for plant inspections at JLR comes amid a growing push among automotive manufacturers to automate logistics, inventory and maintenance tasks. As far back as 2019, Automotive Logistics noted that “transportation, stocktaking and inspection” represent the three main drone use-cases for the automotive supply chain. In another instance, Audi used drones outfitted with RFID readers to locate vehicles in a dispatch yard, a move described as “a further stepping-stone on the path to digital production.”
Following the Wolverhampton pilot, JLR plans to expand the programme to its Logistics Operations Centre in Solihull. There, drones will be fitted with barcode scanners to automate inventory checks, replacing manual stocktakes with faster, more accurate digital readings. JLR expects the system to improve safety, reduce errors and support smarter decisions on stock levels and space utilisation.
The project is being explored through JLR’s Open Innovation programme, which since 2022 has engaged more than 2,500 start-ups and secured 36 technology collaborations. It also contributes to the company’s Future Skills programme, which aims to train 29,000 employees in electrification and digital competencies.
Shantnu Mehta, a project engineer at JLR, said the pilot had reshaped expectations of factory roles. “I never imagined I’d be learning to fly drones as part of my job,” she said. “The skills I’ve developed will stay with me throughout my career.”
