Prodrone support rider Hiroki Ito wins for the 19th time with the PDH-02C Evo at the FAI/F3C RC Helicopter Japan Championship 2026!

Prodrone Inc. (hereinafter Prodrone) has been supporting pilot Hiroki Ito since 2018. At the 51st FAI / F3C RC Helicopter Japan Championship (organized by the Japan Model Aeronautics Federation and sanctioned by the Japan Aeronautic Association) held in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture from October 16 to 18, 2026, Ito achieved his 19th consecutive victory using Prodrone's "PDH-02C Evo" helicopter.

■Comments from champion Ito

- Your thoughts on winning the Japan Championship for the 19th time, and the key to this victory.

"Thank you very much for your support and encouragement over the three days.

I feel that the key to this victory was the high-level integration of electronic control and human operability. Along with changes to systems such as the gyro, we struggled with the adjustments needed to maximize its high potential, but through a process of trial and error, it all came together in the end."

- Condition and challenges during the tournament

"During the tournament, there was a wide variance in wind strength, and I struggled a lot with deciding which conditions to focus on and adjust for. It was a tougher battle than the numbers (scores) suggest, but being able to refine my setup and adaptability in unseen areas was a huge takeaway."

Enthusiasm for next year's World Championships in Germany

"Through this Japan Championship, I found a base setup that makes me feel confident we can compete. Rather than being satisfied with this result, I will use it as a starting point and aggressively tackle areas for improvement in both hardware and software. I will do my best to deliver the best possible performance at the World Championships as well, so I appreciate your continued support."

　We will continue our efforts to feed back and apply the aircraft settings, control technologies, and aerodynamic know-how honed in the world's highest-level competitive environments to improve the reliability and flight performance of the industrial drones we develop and manufacture.

■Tournament Overview

- Tournament Name: 2026 FAI/F3C RC Helicopter Japan Championship

- Organizer: Japan Model Aeronautics Federation (Sanctioned by: Japan Aeronautic Association)

- Schedule: October 16 to 18, 2026

- Official Tournament Information URL: https://jmaf-f3c.verse.jp/

■About PRODRONE Co., Ltd.

With the vision of "becoming the most trusted drone company in the region," we aim to build a drone ecosystem in the Chubu region. We handle everything from the development to the production of dual-use drones in a one-stop process, such as the large-scale "PD6B-CAT3," which aims to acquire Type 1 model certification, and the "Prodrone GT-M," capable of long-duration flight with high efficiency (over 50 km per liter), thereby establishing a mass-production system for domestically produced drones.