Swiss deep-tech firm
Verity has been named the winner of the 2026
IERA Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Robotics & Automation for its fully autonomous indoor drone system, recognising both its technical development and successful market deployment.
Announced in Frankfurt on 16 June 2026, the award highlights Verity’s warehouse intelligence platform, which uses fleets of aerial robots to verify inventory continuously without GPS or human intervention.
Designed for logistics and retail environments, the drones navigate warehouse aisles independently, scan barcodes and return to charging stations, while a centralised cloud-based system supports ongoing learning and performance optimisation across deployments.
Each drone carries onboard autonomy functions, including perception, motion planning and obstacle avoidance, enabling real-time decision-making. As they move through storage locations, they capture barcode data and integrate it directly into warehouse management systems, identifying discrepancies and reporting them automatically. The systems are capable of operating autonomously for months at a time, typically requiring only two to three battery replacements per year.
The technology also benefits from large-scale data capture, with deployed fleets generating around 500,000 images per day. This continuous stream of operational data is used to refine system performance further. Verity reports that its solution has now been implemented in approximately 200 warehouses worldwide.
Accurate inventory tracking remains a critical challenge in logistics and retail, where goods are spread across thousands of locations and moved frequently. Manual verification processes are often impractical due to labour shortages and cost pressures. By automating routine checks and identifying misplaced stock, such as fully loaded pallets, Verity’s system helps reduce losses that would otherwise be written off.
Jim Ostrowski, IERA Award’s committee chairman said: “With its aerial robotics technology, Verity has managed to develop a mature product that has been successfully launched to support its customers. The jury was impressed by Verity's significant patent portfolio, their robust business plan, and their pioneering role in bringing innovative technology to market.”
Markus Hehn, co-founder and chief technology officer of Verity, added: “It is a great honour to be recognised by the leading organisations in the robotics industry. We thank the jury for recognising the efforts of our team and awarding us the prestigious IERA Award 2026.”
Two other finalists were also recognised. Open Navigation LLC showcased Nav2, described as the most widely deployed autonomous mobile robot navigation solution by deployment count, offering configurable, production-tested open-source components.
Innok Robotics presented its INDUROS ecosystem, an industrial mobile robot platform designed to automate brownfield intralogistics, capable of operating across indoor and outdoor environments, including uneven terrain.
The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) has also announced the launch of a new global accolade. The IFR Global Robotics Award, to be presented for the first time in 2027, which will recognise industry-led innovations that bridge the gap between research and practical deployment, with a focus on solutions addressing societal challenges, advancing technology or demonstrating strong commercial potential. The call for applications opens in November 2026.”