Market Overview

Since early 2010s, Japan has seen the emergence of various services and solutions using drones in different fields. Popular applications include spraying fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture, and for measuring. Drones have also been used to inspect transmission towers and power lines. The relaxation of regulations and operations has accelerated implementation since around 2020. In addition to the aforementioned applications, bridge inspections for highway operators and railway companies have entered the operational phase.

The proliferation of these services owes to deregulation, lower drone prices, and improved drone features. In recent years, the combination of drones, camera images, and artificial intelligence (AI) has generated various solutions that are expected to stimulate demand.

Compared to artificial satellites, aircraft, and helicopters, drones cost less, enable closer photography that provides high image precision, and allow for swift and flexible movement, even during emergencies. Consequently, some areas and sectors have shifted to use drones since several years ago.

In 2025, a massive sinkhole occurred due to pipe corrosion in Yashio City, Saitama. This prompted municipalities nationwide to inspect sewage pipes. In some cases, drones were used for inspections. This drew widespread attention to drones that year.

Noteworthy Topics

The possibilities of integrating drones and AI

Due to their ability to gather high-resolution intelligence and operate with real-time flexibility, drones are highly compatible with AI.

For example, infrastructure inspections, such as those of bridges, can be upgraded by combining the mobility and close-up imaging capability of drones with the image analysis capability of AI to diagnose degradation and perform high-frequency inspections. This combination also enables flexible, real-time status recognition, which monitoring cameras alone cannot achieve.

Integrating drones and AI has the potential to advance drone-based services and solutions.

Future Outlook

The preceded agricultural services such as pesticide application are projected to enter a stable phase, which cannot expect rapid growth going forward. Meanwhile, if the drone airpath platform is built and enters an operational phase, drone applications will likely expand further. The development of this platform is currently underway by Grid Sky Way LLP, which is organized among various businesses from various sectors, including electricity, railways, and IT systems. These efforts may lead to drone-based beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and autonomous flight services.

Due to external factors, such as labor shortages and work efficiency measures at various work sites, there is stable demand for drone services and solutions. In this context, these services and solutions are expected to grow by around 20% per year, reaching 88 billion yen by FY2030, based on service provider revenue.

Research Outline