Japan: Drone technology to be used as disaster response

Tokyo [Japan], July 15 : In recent years, drone has been attracting attention not only for their use in logistics and disaster response but also for their potential for monitoring remote areas. In Japan, a "Level 4" system will begin by the end of this year. This is a system that allows a drone to fly in an area where the operator cannot see it.
Therefore, telecommunication and system management companies have been entering the drone industry.
KDDI is a major Japanese telecommunication company. Its subsidiary, Smart Drone Corporation, applies the advantage of Telecommunication Company to develop system that can control drone in remote area.
By establishing this system, it makes lower the time and cost of management and inspection.
Speaking on the functionality of the drone system, Ryo Sakamoto from KDDI Smart Drone said, "We control drone by using mobile communication. We are creating the system. For example, we will be able to control a drone that is located in a different prefecture and far away from the drone while being in Chiba, while being in Tokyo, as in this case. We are creating such service."
"We usually send people for inspection, so we need a lot of staffs, time and cost. Therefore, we are considering using a drone at the construction site and patrolling it to realize a super-humanized service. In addition, it could be used to monitor of disaster, infrastructure, river and bay," he added.
Sakamoto also pointed out that "as remote operation of drone become more common, port, for drone to take off and land, will become necessary. Blue Innovation Inc. manages the drone port."
Masayuki Kumada, Senior Managing Director, Blue innovation said, "When drone becomes automated, the concept of port emerged to guarantee the safety of takeoff and landing. We are managing the safety of takeoff and landing for automation through our drone port system. Logistic is obvious but when disaster occurred and there is a fixed port for a place where transportation truck cannot go, we can use the drone port."
"In addition, the inspection field is now expected to use it. Those who have a lot of infrastructure now have to go there to inspect it. It would be possible that the drone stored in a drone port will fly in Hokkaido, if you press a button in Tokyo. We believe that drone port could actually be used in such a way."
"The deregulation of drone and the development of the technology will encourage the entry of other fields in the future, not only in the fields of disaster management and logistics, but also in other fields, leading to raise up the bottom line of each industry," he added.