Drones in the factory: Developing field-tested and grounded technological rules

Abstract

Modern drone technology offers untapped potential for increasing productivity and safety in factory operations. Yet, only a few factories have experimented with indoor use of drones and there are no field-tested guidelines for how evaluate such applications. We engaged in a design science project with a manufacturer of sanitary products. The purpose of our study was to develop grounded technological rules that can be used to identify, select, test and implement profitable drone applications in factories. The developed prescriptive knowledge help managers, engineers and consultants to make informed choices when exploring the potential of drones in manufacturing environments.