Guillermo Valero, founder and CEO of Airvant: “ The support of Innovation and CDTI ERDF funds has been key to progress in the technology of our drones of detection and automated navigation ”

In 2016, when technology dron began to emerge outside the military sphere, Guillermo Valero and his team in Airvant identified an obvious opportunity: to move the accuracy and monitoring capacity of these devices to the field of logistics. “ Surgimos at a time when technological effervescence, but with a very specific idea: applying the knowledge in sensors, integration and the development of software solutions available, provide real value to the logistics operations, ” explains Valero, founder and CEO of the company.

Located in La Rinconada (Seville), within the incubator of transfer of aerospace technology Airvant Aerópolis, was born with a vocation and a strong technological development orientation. Today the company — formed by a team of five persons, of which three are devoted Entirely to R + D + i — combines the development of software, artificial intelligence and vision by computer with system integration embarked on drones, setting up a catalogue of services Only in the sector.

Specialized in solutions for the supply chain has enabled Airvant position itself as a provider of reference in processes of inventory and audit of goods, detection and reporting of assets, or industrial inspection and monitoring through drones. The company works with both logistic operators and manufacturers of first level — such as Volkswagen —. “ our differential value is that we offer solutions, from the planning of the flight to the treatment of data, making each capture in useful information for decision-making ”, summarizes Valero.

Autonomous Drones intelligent inventories

Hence CELIA, the new r & D project Airvant behind with the support of CDTI Innovation and co-financing of the FEDER founds. The initiative responds to a long-identified in the logistics sector: the complexity, the cost and risks associated with the exercise is department stores. “ The inventory is a critical task and, at the same time, one of the most arduous and dangerous. Requires highly labour-intensive and comprehensive planning. CELIA born precisely to automate this process and make it more efficient and secure environment, ” says the CEO of Airvant.

The project aims to develop a platform low cost, highly autonomous and equipped with advanced reading and identification of goods, capable of operating indoors without GPS signal. In this way, CELIA aims to break one of the main barriers that have so far limited the use of drones in closed environments: navigation indoors.

“ in a warehouse outside conventional GNSS, which makes it impossible to use satellite positioning Our commitment is to integrate machine vision systems with IA to the dron will be able to address and fly safely and precise ” within the compound, detailed Valero.

To that end, Airvant working with the Centro advanced Aerospace Technologies (CATEC), which leads the investigation on autonomous navigation indoors. “ CATEC provides a knowledge of first level of visual odometría, which will allow to estimate the position and orientation of the dron at all times. It Is a key to ensuring the robustness and reliability of the system ”, add.

The other major technological pillar of the project is the development of systems AIDC (Automatic Identification and Data Capture) embarked on UAVs, specifically designed for reading and RFID tags from the air. “ We want the dron not only knows where it is, but also what is reading and what does this information. It will be the first air inventory system able to merge detection technologies through image by scanners and reading, all in a same flight, ” explains the founder of Airvant.

Use of a dron within a warehouse

Productivity, precision and sustainability

Beyond the technological leap, CELIA points to a profound change in how to manage the warehouses. The possibility of automated inventory with low-cost drones will enable operators to increase productivity, improve accuracy and reinforce traceability without changing drastically current operational “ Scalability is essential. If the technology was not adapted to real work environment, never was becoming widespread. That is why this project is designed to integrate easily and to provide an immediate return of investment, ” says Valero.

“ the backing and support of CDTI Innovation are key to technological development of the system embarked on drones of detection of bar codes and automation of navigation at a very low cost ”, stresses the CEO of Airvant.

SHE also has a strong component of sustainability and efficiency. Thanks to automation and intelligence of the processes, will reduce unnecessary displacement inside the warehouse, optimize the locations of goods and prevent errors of stock or inventory ruptures. “ Opts for a smart inventoried, to make better use of available space, to reduce the consumption of resources and provide even the reverse logistics. To do more with less, in a more secure and sustainable is one of our priority objectives ”, stresses the management.

This vision fits in with the innovation strategy that promotes the CDTI Innovation, aimed at supporting projects with impact technological, economic and social council in the business fabric english. This type of funding allows technological smes make a qualitative leap, taking risks of R & D and develop solutions that improve competitiveness.

A path of continuous innovation

The trajectory of Airvant reflects this bet is continuing its own development and the transfer of technology. Since its inception, the company has earmarked about 85 per cent of its activity to R + D + i, consolidating a technological base built on three pillars: audit software inventories, scalability and combination of artificial vision technology dron. This approach has enabled the company to validate their solutions with clients and to export their know-how markets such as Portugal, ireland, Argentina and Chile.

“ innovation cannot be improvised. It is the result of years of accumulated knowledge, to try, to fail, adjust and to demonstrate again. Our team combines a solid academic training with experienced, which permits us to tackle projects with a high technical complexity with a very practical vision, ” says Valero.

Such a culture of applied innovation is reflected in each of its business lines, since the automated inventory to the detection and pallets through your machine vision algorithms. “ we are part of the process of transformation digital of our clients. We are not an outside provider, but a partner which helps to make more informed decisions, based on actual data ”, stresses.

Use of a dron to carry out tasks of inventory

Expansion and internationalization

One of the keys to Airvant is its approach towards the early marketing results of r & D. The company combines the provision of specialized services to the transfer of technology in their developments, allowing the client acquires the complete solution — dron, software, training and support — to operate autonomously. This strategy has proved particularly effective in geographies where the model of service is not feasible, such as Argentina and Chile.

With the draft Airvant CELIA taking one more step in its strategy of expansion and diversification, vying for new marketing channels. “ We want the technology reaches the market of the most direct and accessible as possible. That is why we are working both in trade agreements with distributors for the logistics sector such as the launch of an own digital channel that allows prepedidos and customize the configuration of proceeds ”, is moving Valero.

Internationalization is also part of its road map. The company considers that the services associated with logistics automation are highly exportable and that global growth is to consolidate its presence in Europe and latin america. “ our goal is to be a global technology company, offers solutions that can be replicated in different markets and scales. Internationalization is a source of growth, but also of learning ”, points to the CEO.

Images of drones of Airvant

Massive towards

When asked for the future of CELIA and technological maturity they hope to achieve in the coming years, Valero has a clear vision: “ We Imagine a future where technology dron in logistics is not a luxury reserved for a few, but rather an everyday tool and accessible to any warehouse, regardless of their size ”.

Its purpose is not only further progress in technical sophistication, but “ with regard ”, reducing cost and push for real action. “ technology maturity will not be judged in the features, but in precision, ease of use and return on investment. We want every flight of exact data dron provide effortlessly and without human margin of error, ” says.

With more than a decade of experience gained, Airvant sees itself as a bridge between the technological potential and the massive adoption. “ the real innovation is to make viable technology, integrated and cost-effective. Our challenge is not only develop smart drones, but to achieve forming part of everyday life of the modern logistics, ” concludes Valero.

And if something looks clear having listened to you, is that the future of the inventory — and perhaps of logistics management — is written from the air.

CDTI Innovation

The centre for technological development and innovation, CDTI E.P.E. is a public company under the ministry of Science, innovation and universities, whose goal is the promotion of technological innovation in business. The CDTI mission is to ensure that the business fabric english generates and transform knowledge into growth científico-técnico globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive. By 2024, within the framework of a new strategic plan, the CDTI provided more than $2.3 billion euros of support for business startups and spain.

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