The day may not be far off when a drone flies over your house and you receive packages from the sky.

The first flight in Japan on the 24th was called "Level 4," which flies the drone within a range that the pilot cannot see.

We will provide you with the latest information on the practical application of drones in the logistics industry.

[Japan's first "Level 4" test flight]

The setting is Okutama Town, Tokyo.

The drone, carrying a 1-kilogram package, took off from the roof of the Okutama Post Office and rose to a height of 20 meters.

We deliver packages from the post office in a residential area to a house in a mountainous area about 2 kilometers away.

We flew over residential areas and mountains on a pre-set route for about 5 minutes.

Then, we landed safely in the yard of the house.

I removed my luggage from the aircraft and soared into the sky again.

The residents who were waiting on the ground received their packages safely.

The law was revised in December last year to realize Level 4 flights, and a certification system for aircraft and national qualifications for pilots were established to realize it, but this flight is the first in Japan.

[On the ground, on the other hand]

To deliver one sealed letter...

At the Okutama Post Office, which is conducting drone demonstration experiments, delivery costs are increasing, mainly in depopulated areas.

I rode a motorcycle about 1 kilometers to deliver one sealed letter ...

In some cases, it is delivered on foot on mountain roads that cannot be entered by motorcycle.

Letters and postcards have lower delivery fees than courier services, and a certain amount of handling is required to make a profit, but in some cases, such as Okutama Post Office, it takes a lot of effort for one sealed letter.

Furthermore, in fiscal 1, there were 2021.148 billion mails, a decrease of more than 20% from 40 years ago due to the spread of e-mail and SNS.

Behind the rush of Japan mail to put drone delivery into practical use is the rapid decline in the number of such postal items such as letters and postcards.

Delivery worker shortage Less than half of the recruits ...

Further exacerbating is the shortage of delivery workers, and regardless of whether it is in urban or rural areas, it continues to be difficult to attract enough people even if they are recruited.

Taking company data published five years ago as an example, when the Morioka Central Post Office in Iwate Prefecture recruited 5 delivery staff, the number of applicants was 20, less than half, and at the post office in Ginza, Tokyo, there were 8 applicants for the 16 capacity.

For this reason, Japan Mail wants to use drones not only for delivery in depopulated areas, but also for transportation between post offices.

Dispelling residents' concerns is also key

On the other hand, at Level 4, drones fly over places where people come and go and houses within a range that pilots cannot see, so it is essential to ensure safety and dispel residents' concerns for full-scale practical use.

The aircraft introduced this time has two GPS antennas to prevent it from getting out of control, and if it is about to crash, the parachute automatically opens.

In addition, the company has repeatedly held briefings in areas where drones fly and sought the understanding of residents by explaining safety measures.

Residents who participated in the briefing said, "I don't have any particular anxiety after hearing the current explanation," and "It's like a dream to have something that could only be transported by human hands transported from the sky by a machine."

Toward full-scale implementation

Japan Post wants to use drones to reduce the shortage of delivery workers and the burden of delivery costs, and we will conduct technical verification such as safety through repeated trial flights and aim for full-scale introduction.

Japan Post Managing Director Shinya Koike

"I think there is a sense of distrust and surprise when something you have never seen is flying in the sky, but I would like to expand it while gaining the understanding of local governments and residents"

In the logistics industry, where labor shortages are becoming more serious, Sagawa Express and Rakuten Group, an online shopping company, are also conducting experiments for practical use, and the use of drones is likely to expand.