KDDI Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Makoto Takahashi; hereafter, KDDI), Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and Group CEO: Mitsuko Tottori; hereafter, JAL) successfully demonstrated that on 2024/5/15, 1 pilot remotely piloted 3 drones from Tokyo and delivered disaster prevention supplies and food at the same time (hereafter, this demonstration).
This demonstration was carried out as part of the “ReaMo (Reamo) Project)” promoted by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization). Note, this demonstration was carried out on a level 3.5 flight (Note 1) where ground assistants or access control measures are unnecessary if certain conditions are met, such as checking pedestrians from a drone's onboard camera.
In this demonstration, an operation management system jointly developed by KDDI and KDDI Smart Drone Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Masafumi Hirono) was combined with the addition of functions and operation procedures (Note 2) based on the knowledge and know-how of safe operation cultivated by JAL in the aviation business, and built and implemented a system that can remotely control multiple aircraft safely and securely.
The two companies will continue to examine flight requirements, develop and demonstrate flight management systems, and work to establish a business model in order to commercialize one-to-many operations.
Furthermore, by utilizing the knowledge of this demonstration, we will promote rule-making relating to one-to-many operations, and aim to implement safer and more efficient drones in society.
＜Scenes of simultaneous operation of 3 aircraft by 1 pilot＞※What is the state of the demonstration test shown on JAL's official YouTubeHere.
■Background
This demonstration was carried out as part of the “elemental technology development for aircraft/systems that realize one-to-many operation of drones” (hereafter, this project) in the “ReaMo (Reamo) Project)” in the “ReaMo (Reamo) Project)”.
A one-to-many operation is expected in which one pilot operates multiple drones in order to resolve various domestic social issues, such as the 2024 issue of logistics, labor shortages due to a decline in the working-age population, aging social infrastructure, and regional depopulation and aging.
＜ Image of “one-to-many operation” ＞■About this demonstration
1. Outline of implementation
We examined and developed flight management systems and operation procedures to create a system where one pilot can remotely control multiple aircraft at the same time, and verified their usefulness.
In remote piloting, which requires accurate situation grasping and judgment based on limited information, advanced drone operation management is required, such as monitoring the operation status and weather conditions of an automatically operated aircraft in real time and precisely through an operation management system and adding manual operation as necessary. In the simultaneous operation of multiple aircraft (3 aircraft in this demonstration), it is even more important to establish a safety management system that clarifies the division of roles between the pilot and the system (man-machine interface) as system automation and information aggregation are promoted.
In this demonstration, along with improvements and improvements to the display function of the flight management system, we constructed operation procedures including when irregular, and verified that simultaneous delivery of disaster prevention supplies and food is possible after a single pilot can safely operate 3 drones with remote autopilot.
＜Flight management system screen: Information display for multiple aircraft has an intuitive UI design, and layout specifications have been developed to suppress viewpoint movement＞2. Demonstration site (flight route)
Yoshida district, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture
Route A: Chichibu Yoshida General Branch → Aguma District (about 2.5 km)
Route B: Roadside Station Ryusei Kaikan ⇒ Aguma Area (approx. 2.5 km)
＜Flight route in this demonstration＞
3. Aircraft used
＜PD6B-Type3 (made by PRODRONE)” that carries disaster preparedness supplies and food＞
4. Roles of each company
(reference)
■About the “Implementation Project for Social Implementation of Next-Generation Air Mobility (ReAMo Project)” promoted by NEDO
In addition to improving work efficiency due to labor shortages and increases in logistics volume, contactless due to the COVID-19 pandemic is required,
Energy savings and free movement of people and goods without human intervention are expected due to next-generation air mobility (drones and flying cars). In order to achieve this, it is necessary to balance efficient operation through automatic and autonomous operation on the premise of ensuring the safety of next-generation air mobility. In this project, we will realize energy saving and safe and efficient air movement by developing technologies necessary to realize next-generation air mobility, such as the development of performance evaluation methods for drones and flying cars and the development of integrated operation management technology for airspace sharing at low altitudes for drones, flying cars, and existing aircraft.
■About this project “Elemental Technology Development for Aircraft/Systems to Realize One-To-Many Operation of Drones”
In the wake of the lifting of the ban on “unassisted non-visual flight (level 4 flight) in manned areas,” which was enforced in December 2022, the utilization of drones as new air infrastructure by companies and local governments is progressing in situations such as logistics, inspection, security, and disaster response. Also, for social implementation of drones, KDDI and JAL collaborated in February 2022 to create a system for integrated operation management of multiple drones and to examine a business model to support drone utilization for companies and local governments.
Against this background, KDDI and JAL jointly proposed research and development to realize one-to-many operation of the “Implementation Project for Social Implementation of Next-Generation Air Mobility” promoted by NEDO, and it was adopted on 2022/8/9, and since then they have jointly proceeded with the examination of operation requirements and the development and verification of flight management systems.
■KDDI and JAL Initiatives
・March 25, 2021 Press Release
Successful simultaneous operation of multiple drones in the same area with missions for logistics, security, inspection, and aerial photography
(https://www.jal.com/ja/press/backnumber/areanews/attaches/pdf/osa_210325.pdf)
・2022/2/1 Press Release
For the first time in Tokyo, a drug delivery experiment was conducted to cross multiple bridges such as Eitai Bridge with a drone
(https://press.jal.co.jp/ja/release/202202/006495.html)
・2022/2/15 Press Release
JAL and KDDI collaborate to make drones a social infrastructure
(https://press.jal.co.jp/ja/release/202202/006523.html)
・2023/12/8 Press Release
Japan's first demonstration of transporting pharmaceuticals using a Level 4 drone flight
(https://press.jal.co.jp/ja/release/202312/007808.html)
・2023/12/14 Press Release
Japan Airlines and KDDI Smart Drone form a capital and business alliance
(https://press.jal.co.jp/ja/release/202312/007821.html)
(Note 1) Flight system newly established in 2023/12 due to aviation law revisions. Access control measures have become unnecessary by meeting the conditions.
About the new establishment of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism drone level 3.5 flight system (https://www.mlit.go.jp/seisakutokatsu/freight/content/001716111.pdf)
(Note 2) It defines procedures and rules for performing specific tasks. Thus, work can be standardized, and consistency and efficiency can be improved.
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