This article published in collaboration with JUIDA, the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association.
TV Asahi and KDDI Smart Drone have announced a joint initiative to deploy autonomous drones from pre-positioned drone ports across Japan, targeting faster and safer aerial news coverage during natural disasters.
The Limitations of Traditional Disaster Coverage
Conventional disaster reporting relies on camera crews and news helicopters dispatched to affected areas. This approach introduces time delays and exposes personnel to secondary accident risks in active disaster zones. KDDI Smart Drone’s nationwide drone port network — targeting 1,000 permanent installation sites — addresses both constraints. In October 2025, the company installed the Skydio Dock for X10 in Ishikawa Prefecture, with an initial focus on disaster preparedness in the Noto Peninsula region.
How the Disaster News Drone Deployment Works
The Skydio Dock for X10 houses and maintains the drone on-site, enabling remote launch without dispatching a pilot to the scene. Upon activation, the drone captures FPV (first-person view) footage and transmits it in real time to the TV Asahi newsroom. KDDI Smart Drone manages remote flight operations using 4G LTE airborne radio signals for long-distance control.
The collaboration validates three operational workflows:
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Transmission quality — confirming that remotely captured FPV footage meets broadcast image quality and latency standards
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News coordination flow — establishing a protocol for on-site drones to auto-launch on newsroom request and stream footage immediately
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Airspace management — verifying that KDDI Smart Drone’s flight management system enables safe simultaneous operation of news helicopters and drones in disaster airspace
Scaling a National Disaster News Network
The two companies plan to expand drone port installations beyond Ishikawa Prefecture, working toward a nationwide disaster news drone deployment network across Japan’s major disaster-prone regions. KDDI Smart Drone also operates the KDDI Smart Drone Academy, a nationally certified UAV pilot training program with more than 20 domestic school locations.
TV Asahi, which launched in 1959 and operates 23 affiliated broadcast stations across Japan, will oversee footage quality review and broadcast integration as part of the collaboration. The initiative aligns with KDDI Smart Drone’s stated objective of building “phase-free social infrastructure that leverages drones in both normal and emergency conditions.”
For more information, please see the original press release (in Japanese).
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Ian McNabb is a journalist focusing on drone technology and lifestyle content at Dronelife. He is based between Boston and NH and, when not writing, enjoys hiking and Boston area sports.