Embracing drones and the Internet of drones systems in manufacturing – An exploration of obstacles

The manufacturing sector attributes the growing prominence of Drones and the Internet of Drones (IoD) systems to their multifaceted utility in delivery, process monitoring, infrastructure inspection, inventory management, predictive maintenance, and safety inspections. Despite their potential benefits, adopting these technologies faces significant obstacles that need systematic identification and resolution. The current literature inadequately addresses the barriers impeding the adoption of Drones and IoD systems in manufacturing, indicating a research gap. This study bridges this gap by providing comprehensive insights and facilitating the organisational transition towards embracing Drone and IoD technologies. This research identifies 20 critical barriers to deploying Drones and IoD in manufacturing. These barriers are validated through a global quantitative survey of 120 Drone experts and analysed via Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). EFA categorises these challenges into six distinct dimensions. Utilising the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), these dimensions and individual barriers are ranked, incorporating feedback from five Drone specialists. The study highlights ‘Safety and Human Resource Barriers’ and ‘Payload Capacity and Battery Barriers’ as the most predominant obstacles. Key concerns include limited battery life, explosion risks, and potential damage to assets and individuals. This research significantly advances the existing literature by presenting a practical methodology for categorising and prioritising Drone and IoD adoption barriers. Employing EFA and AHP offers a globally relevant framework for stakeholders to strategically address these challenges, advancing the integration of drones and IoD systems in the manufacturing domain.