UAVs for Industrial Applications: Identifying Challenges and Opportunities from the Implementation Point of View

Abstract

New technologies such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are constantly being introduced under the Industry 4.0 framework. Although UAVs are mainly used in civil and military applications, the opportunities for Industrial integration must be examined, namely real-time remote monitoring, wireless coverage, and remote sensing. Therefore, UAVs can be considered as proactive solvers, simultaneously contributing to enhanced decision making as they are considered to be Internet of Things (IoT) platforms for efficient cost-effective data collection and monitoring. However, the use of UAVs in confined and crowded Industrial environments, e.g. machine shops, need further research. Therefore, this paper focuses on highlighting the limitations regarding the integration of UAVs in modern manufacturing systems as well as on presenting an intelligent framework based on Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for real-time machine shop monitoring. The applicability of the developed framework is tested in-vitro, in a laboratory-based machine shop.