General News

Japan Association Preps to Boost Drone Use in Event of Disaster; System Eyed to Quickly Dispatch Drones to Disaster-Hit Areas

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
A drone returns after taking photos of a dam blocked by a landslide in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Jan. 30.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:03 JST, December 14, 2024

A general incorporated association promoting the wider use of drones said it plans to create a system in which drones will be readily available in the event of a disaster.

Learning from the delay in the initial response to the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January, the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA) will develop a system to pre-register drones so they can be quickly dispatched to disaster-hit areas in an emergency. The association intends to set up a privately run disaster prevention organization in the near future.

According to JUIDA, about 30 companies and organizations that could operate drones went to the Okunoto region in Ishikawa Prefecture after the earthquake. They stayed in the area for about a month, using their drones to conduct such tasks as transporting medicine and inspecting the extent of the damage of collapsed houses.

However, finding and selecting the companies and organizations that were ready to respond was a slow process, as was trying to coordinate with local governments. Drones were finally in the air four days after the earthquake.

As a result, JUIDA has decided to set up a privately run disaster prevention organization, which will take on the role of a coordinator and dispatch drones for disaster relief purposes. The association will call on domestic companies and organizations that own drones to register them with the new organization so the drones and their operators can quickly be sent to affected areas.

Participating companies and organizations can also take part in such joint exercises as searching for missing people and transporting goods.

JUIDA is in talks with local governments regarding the dispatch of drones and their operators. The association is also considering working with the central government.

“The Noto Peninsula Earthquake showed us how drones can be used in disaster relief efforts, but it also exposed problems,” said Manabu Shimamoto, an advisor of JUIDA. “We hope to create a system that can contribute to saving lives and helping those affected by disasters nationwide.”