Application of RFID technology in drones

In recent years, with the increasing application of RFID technology in life, some technology companies have combined drones with RFID (radio frequency identification) technology to improve the intelligence of drones. Drone delivery has become a trend, and Amazon, SF Express, etc. are all testing it. In addition to delivery, drones play a role in many applications, allowing drones to read data during flight.

A California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) research project found that drones using RFID Readers can read tags attached to steel drills or utility pipes with 95 to 100 percent accuracy. Oil fields often need to Store thousands of pipe fittings (steel pipes used in drilling operations). These pipe fittings are stored in different areas of the oil field, so inventory management is a very time-consuming task. Using RFID technology, when the RFID reader is within the range of the electronic tag marked items, it can be read.

However, in a large storage site, it is not practical to deploy fixed readers, and regular reading with handheld readers is also time-consuming. By attaching RFID electronic tags to dozens of pipe caps or pipe insulators, drones with UHF readers attached can typically read passive UHF RFID tags at a distance of about 12 feet. This solution not only solves the errors that easily occur in manual management, but also greatly improves work efficiency. However, in large storage areas, customers need to arrange for a dedicated person to "look after" the drone so that the battery can be replaced in time.

A research team at MIT has achieved more convenient inventory searches by combining RFID technology with drones. Compared with barcodes, the information contained on RFID tags can be more widely and easily changed, and is also cheaper.

Drones equipped with RFID readers can replace people taking inventory and get the job done faster with less hassle. Tall boxes that a person would need a ladder or elevator to access can be easily reached by drones, which can be programmed to navigate the space independently, and they can perform large-scale, repetitive tasks with greater accuracy and efficiency than humans. Better management.

By equipping the drone with a tiny relay, it acts like a Wi-Fi repeater. The drone receives a signal from a remote RFID reader and then forwards it to read nearby electronic tags. Because the relays are small, this means smaller drones can be used, plastic parts can be used, and they can fit into tighter spaces without the risk of personal injury. This not only eliminates the need for additional RFID readers, but also allows Small drones do the same job as larger drones.

The combination of RFID technology and drones can manage inventory and coordinate supply chains, benefiting from the deployment of radio frequency identification in warehouses. RFID drones help workers increase efficiency, reduce labor costs, optimize inventory levels, and track Assets.