ANA Holdings Eyes Launch of Small Drone Business; Model to Be Used to Inspect Condition of Structures After Disaster

The Yomiuri Shimbun

2:00 JST, March 16, 2026

ANA Holdings Inc. is considering launching a new business using fixed-wing drones to survey damage in remote areas following a disaster.

The parent company of All Nippon Airways aims to use the drones, which can fly at high speeds and cover long distances, to survey disaster-struck mountainous areas and peninsulas. It plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with a Swiss drone manufacturer for business use and to promote its new service to local governments and other businesses.

The drone model eyed for the new business has a wingspan of 1.2 meters and weighs 5.2 kilograms, small enough for a single person to carry. Equipped with a camera, the model will be used to inspect aging infrastructure facilities such as bridges and utility towers to detect changes in their condition that might indicate possible issues.

In case of a disaster, the model can be used to survey landslides, cracks or other changes on the ground, as well as damage sustained to infrastructure. During a test in October 2025 near Mt. Fugen in Nagasaki Prefecture, a fixed-wing drone was able to inspect an area of about 150 hectares for 30 minutes and detect fine cracks on erosion control facilities and changes in their condition, according to ANA Holdings.

When a powerful earthquake hit the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture in January 2024, ANA Holdings conducted a survey using a large drone. However, the company encountered challenges, such as the long time required to transport such a large product to the affected areas.

ANA Holdings is therefore turning to the small model with fixed wings, as it can be operated more flexibly. The model is more maneuverable than a helicopter and can survey wider areas than a small drone without fixed wings.

ANA Holdings also plans to launch a logistics business using a large drone with a wingspan of 7 meters as early as 2027. When a disaster strikes, the drone will be tasked with delivering food and other relief supplies to areas where access has been cut off.

Other companies are also trying to use fixed-wing drones for their businesses.

In January, Itochu Corp. announced that it will work with Pasco Corp. on the practical use of fixed-wing drones in aerial surveying. The major trading firm is considering using the drones to transport blood products and medical equipment in normal times, as well as deploying them when a disaster happens.

East Japan Railway Co. has also conducted tests using a fixed-wing drone in heavy snowfall areas to survey conditions on slopes along its tracks and analyze if an avalanche could happen.

As the market for fixed-wing drones is expanding, the government is currently working to establish a new national certification specifically for this type by the end of the year. Currently, operators must hold a highly specialized certification for unmanned aircraft that require the use of runways. The government aims to promote fixed-wing drones by establishing a certification that is easier to acquire.