Terra Drone Corporation, a leading drone and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology company headquartered in Japan, has been selected for two projects under the “Industrial Cooperation Programme in the Global South (1) through Technology Transfer” (Project Name: Third Public Offering for Promoting Overseas Infrastructure Deployment by Japanese Companies, (hereinafter referred to as “the Program”) by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Through these projects, Terra Drone aims to promote the social implementation of Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) systems and create new business opportunities in the Middle East.
Overview of Selected Projects
1. Demonstration Project on UTM for Drone Logistics in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The project will conduct demonstrations in the UAE to verify interoperability between logistics drones and UTM systems. Aiming to build drone logistics infrastructure, the project will focus on social implementation and future business development, with considerations for aviation safety and scalability.
- Project Implementation Period: From the date of grant decision to February 28, 2025 (tentative)
- Project Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Project Objective: Demonstration and business development of drone logistics utilizing UTM
2. Research Project on UTM Utilization for Drones and eVTOLs in the UAE and Saudi Arabia
In the United States and Europe, there is growing attention on promoting the adoption of drones and eVTOLs. Additionally, the advancement of drone utilization is identified as a key initiative under “Saudi Vision 2030”. Under this situation, the deployment of UTM systems is expected to become an area of future consideration and development at a national level in the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Through activities such as participation in exhibitions, providing opportunities for exchanges and study tours to promote understanding of advanced UTM use cases, and conducting market research, Terra Drone will assess the feasibility of commercializing UTM utilization in both countries.
- Project Implementation Period: From the date of grant decision to February 28, 2025 (tentative)
- Project Locations: United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Project Objective: Research on the utilization of UTM for drones and flying vehicles (eVTOLs)
Future Prospects
Through this project, Terra Drone will promote the use of UTM systems to support the social implementation of next-generation air mobility in the Middle East. Moving forward, the company will continue to collaborate with local government agencies and industry partners to contribute to building airspace infrastructure and addressing social challenges.
(1) Global South: A general term encompassing emerging and developing countries in the Southern Hemisphere, such as those in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
