Aeronext and KDDI SmartDrone entered into a business alliance agreement for the societal implementation of drone delivery service.
In addition, KDDI has invested in Aeronext through the "KDDI Open Innovation Fund No. 3", which aims to co-create new businesses with promising venture companies.
In recent years, the number of vulnerable consumers who have difficulty in making daily purchases, such as groceries, has been increasing throughout Japan due to the decline in the working-age population, aging society with fewer children, and depopulation. To help solve this problem, efforts to utilize drones and other digital technologies are promising.Through the alliance, Aeronext and the KDDI Group will work together to expand drone logistics to municipalities nationwide by leveraging the technology and expertise of each company.
Details of The Alliance between Aeronext and KDDI SmartDrone
(1) Jointly conduct demonstration experiments for the introduction and adoption of drone delivery services for local governments
(2) Strengthen collaboration for the sale and introduction of airframes, mobile communications, and flight operation management systems required for drone logistics
Aeronext and the KDDI Group have previously collaborated, including conducting a drone delivery demonstration experiment in Aga-machi, Niigata Prefecture in March 2022 and launching the "AirTruck Starter Pack", a drone delivery package combining "AirTruck" and "SmartDrone Tools" in June 2022.Starting with the alliance and the investment, we plan to further accelerate our efforts toward the social implementation of drone logistics services, including plans to collaborate in drone logistics demonstrations and implementation in more than 14 municipalities by March 2023.
