Press Release

Joint Release

KDDI CORPORATION
KDDI SmartDrone Corporation.
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.
East Japan Railway Company
Weathernews Inc.
MEDICEO Corporation

KDDI CORPORATION (Headquarters: Chiyoda ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Makoto Takahashi;
hereinafter "KDDI"), KDDI SmartDrone Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda ku, Tokyo; President:
Masafumi Hirono; hereinafter "KDDI SmartDrone"), Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa ku,
Tokyo; President and Group CEO: Mitsuko Tottori; hereinafter "JAL"), East Japan Railway Company
(Headquarters: Shibuya ku, Tokyo; President: Yoichi Kisei; hereinafter "JR East"), Weathernews Inc.
(Headquarters: Chiba City, Chiba; President: Tomonori Ishibashi; hereinafter "Weathernews"), and
MEDICEO Corporation (Headquarters: Chuo ku, Tokyo; President: Kuniaki Imagawa; hereinafter
"MEDICEO") (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "six companies") conducted a demonstration
(hereinafter "the demonstration") from October 21 to November 7, 2024, in Hinohara Village, Nishitama
District, Tokyo, aimed at realizing a business model for delivering pharmaceuticals by drone.

This demonstration is based on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's "Demonstration Project for the
Promotion of Drone Logistics Service Implementation in Tokyo" and aims to accelerate the social
implementation of drone logistics services in urban areas. Launched in November 2021, this three-year
project has focused on formulating and v erifying the business model for a drone-based pharmaceutical
delivery system.

In this final year of the project, the demonstration focused on enhancing the safety of the operational
system for urban implementation by centrally managing rare pharmaceuticals and integrating CRM (Crew
Resource Management) (*1) training, developed by JAL, to ensure safe and efficient drone operations.

The demonstration successfully confirmed the feasibility of delivering rare pharmaceuticals by drone with
high safety standards. Building on these results, the six companies will work towards the social
implementation of this business model, incorporating drone equipment that complies with legal regulations.

(*1) A concept that aims to enhance the team's operational capabilities by effectively utilizing all available
resources and bringing together the strengths of team members for safe operations.

■About The Verification

１. Overview
Logistics drones autonomously delivered ampoules used for storing rare pharmaceuticals along routes
that included third-party airspace, connecting Hinohara Clinic (2717 Mitsugo, Hinohara, Nishitama District,
Tokyo) to Hinohara Sanahome Special Nursing Home (3791-4 Hinohara, Nishitama District, Tokyo), and
the operation was validated.

２. Details
The drone operations included both Level 3.5 and Level 4 flights. In Level 3.5 flights, a 1-to-2 operation
was tested, where one operator simultaneously controlled two drones. This approach was designed to
enhance efficiency by delivering multiple pharmaceuticals in a short time.
For Level 4 flights, CRM (Crew Resource Management) training was implemented for personnel, including
remote pilots, to ensure higher safety standards in preparation for urban area implementation . All
operations were remotely managed from the operation control room at the KDDI SmartDrone office in
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.

３. Collaborations
- Hinohara Village
- Hinohara Clinic
- Hinohara Sanahome
- Hinohara Mori no Omocha Bijutsukan (Hinohara Forest Toy Museum)
- FUREAI GLAMPING & BBQ
- Hinohara Village Lumber Industry Cooperative

４. Roles of Each Company

■Verification of the Business Model for Delivering Pharmaceuticals by Drone