JD Logistics deploys autonomous delivery robots to get products delivered in Hubei province. As residents of Hubei avoid physical shops due to the coronavirus, the number of online orders is rising rapidly. Autonomous supply chain solutions such as delivery robots, drones and automated warehouses reduce the risk of infection.
The automated warehouses of JD Logistics, the logistics arm of China's largest retailer handle 1 million products daily, compared to the normal 600,000. Delivery drivers are equipped with protective clothing, masks and goggles to prevent contamination with the virus. JD Logistics' warehouses and vehicles are regularly disinfected.
To further minimise human contact, JD Logistics is deploying autonomous shuttles for the last mile in Wuhan. Parcel lockers and temporary pick-up points are also providing relief. The company says it is preparing for delivery by drones to remote areas. The first drone delivery took place on 7 February.
Supplying hospitals
In a press statement, JD Logistics claims to have set up a separate service to deliver medical supplies and prevention materials to major hospitals in the region. One of JD Logistics' logistics centres is just five hundred metres away from Wuhan Union Hospital. Since the launch of the sevice (in late January), more than 2 million auxiliary materials have been delivered from China to hospitals.
