First level 3.5 drone delivery in Shikoku

Delivery demonstration

Prodrone Co., Ltd. will be located in Kuroshio Town, Kochi Prefecture on March 27, 2024. Kuroshio Town, Kochi Prefecture Qol Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Takashi Nakamura) conducted the first level 3.5 flight (*) drone delivery in Shikoku. In Kuroshio Town, Kochi Prefecture, support for the daily lives of residents, especially in hilly and mountainous areas, has become a major issue due to the declining population and declining birthrate and aging of the population. Hilly and mountainous areas are located far from the center of town, making daily shopping a problem for people who are vulnerable to transportation (especially the elderly). Therefore, in this demonstration, we examined the effectiveness of transporting goods using drones. We practiced logistics operations for drone transportation, and identified the effectiveness and problems of each operation for transportation from each base (such as a store) to the drone departure and arrival point, and from the drone return point to each individual's home, in Kuroshio Town. Level 3.5 requires confirmation of weather conditions, and weather observation and forecasting equipment was installed at the emergency landing site and the landing site to conduct real-time observations. In addition, we also envisioned transporting refrigerated items, and with the cooperation of TOPPAN Edge, we also conducted a demonstration of transport in refrigerated containers.

Demonstration route for the day (from PD-GCS screen)

On the day of the demonstration, the 4.3km stretch between "Kochi Prefecture Kuroshio Town Hall Main Office" and "Village Activity Center Kitago" will be covered. PRODRONE PD6B-Type3 It took about 20 minutes to transport 3 kg of daily necessities back and forth using the . Since it was a level 3.5 flight, I constantly checked the footage from the drone to make sure there were no cars or pedestrians as I flew. We also conducted an operation in which we passed at a speed of 8m/s from a distance of about 60m before passing the decisive point.

Pilot Taiki Ukai in action

Taiki Ukai, a drone pilot who witnessed this demonstration, commented as follows. "In this operation, we were conscious of the decision point (the turning point of whether or not to cross the road). In order to achieve appropriate safety management, risk management is very important, and we believe that the licensing system plays an important role in this regard. In order to support operations suitable for Level 3.5 flight, we hope that future drone development will strengthen functions specific to this." *What is Level 3.5 flight? We have made it easier to cross roads, railways, etc. by eliminating previous access control measures such as the placement of assistants and signboards and temporary stoppages, subject to digital technology (utilization of on-board cameras), possession of a pilot's license, and insurance coverage. For Level 3 flights, even if the area was unmanned, it was necessary to have assistants and signboards around the flight area, and when crossing roads or railroad tracks, it was necessary to stop temporarily and check to see if there were any vehicles below. At level 3.5 flight, if the conditions are right, there will be no need for assistants, and effective drone flight will be possible. Regarding the establishment of a new level 3.5 flight system for drones (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) ■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 provide one-stop in-house development and production of industrial drones, including the multicopter PD6B-Type3, which has started mass production with a recommended maximum payload of 20kg, and the helicopter type PDH-GS120, which can fly for two hours and has excellent weather resistance.■Prodrone Co., Ltd. Company ProfileCompany name: PRODRONE Co., Ltd. Representative: Shunsuke Toya, President and CEO Capital: 100 million yen Head office location: 1-115 Nakadaira, Tenpaku-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 468-0014