A drone carrying a box of green onions and strawberries (28th, Chiba)
On the 28th, Chiba City conducted a practical test of agricultural transportation using drones (small unmanned aerial vehicles) in the city. Agricultural transportation tests are rare in Japan. Amid concerns about the aging of farmers and labor shortages, the company hopes to reduce the burden of transporting harvested crops to collection points. [Video] Transporting fruits and vegetables with drones In 2015, the city was selected as a National Strategic Special Zone for the practical use of drones in logistics, etc., and has been using drones for home delivery and inspection of public facilities. Aiming for commercialization in three years, tests are being repeated in the city. This test was conducted jointly with Dia Service, which operates a drone practice range. A box weighing about seven kilograms filled with green onions and strawberries was attached to the bottom of the drone with a band and took off from the cooperating farm site. After flying 50 meters in the sky over 5 minutes to a square about 500 meters away in a straight line, we landed and unloaded our luggage. Katsumoto Miyama, 47, from Hanamigawa Ward, who provides green onions and grows cabbage and green onions on 2.5 hectares, said, "If I can carry it by drone, I can continue farming even if I give up my driver's license. If cargo can be loaded and unloaded with one touch and transported safely, it will become a reality." Yoshito Yoshino, manager of the city's National Strategic Special Zone Promotion Division, said, "We want to reduce the number of people who quit farming because they are worried about driving or because they want to return their license.
Japan Agricultural Newspaper