Autonomous Control Systems Laboratory (ACSL), which develops industrial drones. We asked President and COO Toshiyuki Washiya, the world's first company specializing in drones to be listed on the stock exchange, about the future prospects of drones.
"In terms of speed, it's about 70 to 100 km/h, which is impossible for a typhoon, but it can fly without problems to some extent even if it rains or the wind blows. Connect using radio waves. For example, a drone flying over the Goto Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture can now be controlled from Haneda Airport.Of course, autonomous flight is possible if it is in a pre-designated location.”
“Drone is widely recognized as something that flies in the sky, but it can fly not only in the sky, but also indoors such as distribution warehouses and tunnels. I think that "robots that have grown" is a more correct understanding. The drone that we are currently working on is one that flies through sewage pipes. We have great expectations for drones that fly while overcoming obstacles such as dirt.”
- Flying through a sewer is fun. So, what kind of applications can we expect in terms of logistics in the future?Last year, telemedicine received a lot of attention due to the coronavirus pandemic. No. There are prospects for deregulation in the future, and I think there is a great possibility that drone transportation of pharmaceuticals will be implemented in society.”
—Things that were originally used for hobbies have come to be used for various purposes."Currently, it is mainly used in industrial applications, and its main field of activity is social infrastructure. Although it is rare to see it, I think that in the near future you will see drones inspecting bridges when you casually look up while driving on a highway.”
"I think you're right. Up to 2m above the ground, you don't know what kind of things, such as people and animals, will jump out. In order to predict this, we have to let AI do a lot of deep learning.However, when the drone reaches a safe altitude, the uncertainties are greatly reduced.Therefore, drones are more autonomous than cars. Social implementation should come overwhelmingly faster.”
—On the other hand, what are the challenges of drones and what should be innovated?"Roughly speaking, there are three things. First is 'fuel efficiency'. The current drone flight time is short, and if compared to a car, the fuel efficiency is poor. We should improve fuel efficiency more in the future. The second is “more advanced autonomy.” Of course, it can fly autonomously, but at this stage it only flies according to human commands, so active autonomous flight is not possible yet.If an emergency occurs during flight, it is not possible. Drones are required to be able to make decisions on their own, such as being able to properly stop and avoid helicopters even if they cross over. We will need more specialized drones than just flying them.”
"Especially important is cyber security technology, and it is important to protect data and communications in anticipation of hacking. Even if there is access by a third party, After carefully analyzing and analyzing whether it is properly guarded, we implement a level of technology that gives you peace of mind.In addition, we use reliable domestic parts and products to guarantee medium- to long-term procurement and after-sales support. We are ensuring total safety and security.By doing so, we would like to ensure that domestic industry is properly nurtured.In addition, although there are shades depending on the purpose of use, eventually UI (user interface) , UX (user experience) and other aspects of design will also require a sense of security.”
—What exactly do you mean by “design peace of mind”?For example, in the case of a helicopter, when the propellers make a roaring noise as they fly, you get a frightening impression, don't you think? However, even though it flies in the same sky, the smart shape and color design of the airplane does not make you feel scared.Of course, design is not the only element, but by devising shapes and colors, To give an easy-to-understand example, Dyson's fan has no blades in the visible part, so it gives an impression of safety and security compared to other products.This perspective is for drones. is also necessary, and the evolution of technology should lead to similar developments.”
—What do you expect from local governments and companies that plan to introduce drones?"The distribution method that is established in Tokyo is different from the distribution method in provincial cities with a small population. It is the people of the local government who have a good grasp of the current situation. Drone If you are going to purchase an aircraft, you should draw a future master plan, such as involving this company instead of just investing in the aircraft, or thinking of a business with this person as a key person. In addition, drones have a short history and are still seen as dangerous.Companies that considered introducing drones a few years ago but stopped there I think there are many municipalities and municipalities.As I have said many times, the evolution of drones is progressing rapidly, and there is something to behold.And social implementation is definitely progressing, and it is getting closer to safe and secure things. I would be happy if you would consider implementing it once again."
—There seems to be some view that the spread of drones will come to a halt when regulations are tightened in preparation for the 2022 revision of the Civil Aeronautics Act."I don't think the view that 'regulations will be tightened' is correct. The main focus is on flying in inhabited areas. It is not an obstacle to the spread of drones.In fact, I would like to expect that the use of drones will expand as further safety and security are guaranteed.”
—Finally. Mr. Washiya, what kind of world do you want to realize with drones in the future?"Our company's mission is 'to make people more important through technology'. One day, drones will free humans from the so-called 3K work of 'tough, dirty, and dangerous.'" You can use the free time for your hobbies, or you can work more in other ways.I want to create a society that brings about such freedom and happiness.”