CASE STUDY
Time-Critical Robotics Deployment for National Retail Rollouts
How Aeronet delivered autonomous shelf-scanning robots to retail stores nationwide.
Simbe is the physical intelligence and orchestration layer for retail. Its platform combines autonomous robotics, computer vision, RFID, and edge AI to help store teams see and act on what is happening in their stores. Tally, Simbe’s autonomous shelf-scanning robot, moves through the aisles several times a day using computer vision to spot out-of-stock and low-stock items, check price and promotion accuracy, and confirm products are placed according to plan. Store teams get prioritized, near-real-time restocking alerts, freeing staff from manual shelf checks so they can spend more time with shoppers.
Aeronet’s work with Simbe began with a rollout for a national retailer: approximately 100 Tally robots delivered to stores around the country over a two-week period. Units moved through our agent network to Aeronet Atlanta, where technicians completed work on the robots before they headed out to individual store locations.
- Aeronet delivered Tally, Simbe's autonomous shelf-scanning robot, to stores nationwide, starting with approximately 100 units for a national retailer, and expanding to over two thousand stores.
- Every delivery had to land in a tight window so an on-site technician could set up and deploy Tally, and delivery schedules often shifted while freight was already in transit.
- Aeronet combined warehousing and staging in Atlanta, border pickup, hotshots, dedicated trucks, and ground service, close coordination with agents, and around-the-clock monitoring from our National Control Center, keeping communication open at every step.
Service Utilized:
Simbe is the physical intelligence and orchestration layer for retail. Its platform combines autonomous robotics, computer vision, RFID, and edge AI to help store teams see and act on what is happening in their stores. Tally, Simbe’s autonomous shelf-scanning robot, moves through the aisles several times a day using computer vision to spot out-of-stock and low-stock items, check price and promotion accuracy, and confirm products are placed according to plan. Store teams get prioritized, near-real-time restocking alerts, freeing staff from manual shelf checks so they can spend more time with shoppers.
Aeronet’s work with Simbe began with a rollout for a national retailer: approximately 100 Tally robots delivered to stores around the country over a two-week period. Units moved through our agent network to Aeronet Atlanta, where technicians completed work on the robots before they headed out to individual store locations.
The challenge was timing. Delivery dates and times shifted regularly, sometimes while shipments were already on the road. Meeting those changing windows took flexibility, close coordination with our agent network, and constant communication with every party involved. Aeronet’s National Control Center, which provides 24/7 coverage, handled overnight and early-morning monitoring and updates so nothing slipped between shifts. All 94 units were delivered on time.
That performance led directly to a much larger assignment: delivering Tally to hundreds of stores for a national grocery chain, with plans to expand to over 2,000 additional stores. Aeronet is supporting the rollout with a mix of border pickups, hotshots, dedicated trucks, and ground shipments, choosing the right mode for each store and deadline. Each delivery is time-sensitive because a Simbe technician must be on site to set up and deploy the robot, so a missed window means a missed installation.
For Simbe, what matters most is dependability when plans change. Simbe is deployed across thousands of locations in nearly a dozen countries, and store teams count on each deployment landing as planned. Aeronet’s ability to adapt on the fly, keep everyone informed at every hour, and still hit each installation window is what makes Aeronet a dependable partner as Simbe’s deployments grow.
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About Aeronet Worldwide:
Since 1982, Aeronet has been a family-owned company dedicated to providing the very best in global logistics solutions and freight services. With associates and partners connected to every major airport and seaport throughout the world, Aeronet is fully capable to handle your cargo and Make It Happen One Shipment at a Time®.