In the 'Development of AI-Based Innovative Remote Technologies' (hereafter, the project) being promoted by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization（NEDO）, the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Engineering (the University of Tokyo), the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), EAMS Robotics, and NTT DoCoMo have developed innovative drone operation technology (hereafter, innovative drone remote technology) that enables operators to safely and quickly grasp the situation at the site remotely.
The innovative drone remote technology enables advanced survey activities by a single operator using a group of drones that autonomously fly in a decentralized and coordinated manner, in fields such as security, firefighting and disaster prevention, where there is a need to quickly assess the situation at sites that are dangerous or urgent. Specifically, by integrating and processing the high-resolution images taken by multiple drones and the information obtained from LiDAR sensors, the situation at the site is quickly reproduced in a digital space to facilitate situational awareness.
From 16th to 18th October and 4th to 6th December 2024, we demonstrated this technology at the Fukushima Robot Test Field (Minamisoma City and Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture) in accordance with a scenario based on security operations, and we obtained the prospect that it could contribute to achieving a rapid initial response while ensuring the safety of security personnel. After the completion of this project, we will proceed with development and demonstration for practical application. Through this, we aim to achieve a society where drones can be used in various situations.