Taichung City Looks to Japan for Drone Innovation, Learning from Fukushima and Oita Experiences

(CNA, by reporter Chao Li-yen, Taichung, 7th) Chang Feng-Yuan, Director-General of the Taichung Economic Development Bureau, led a delegation to visit the Japan Drone 2026 exhibition and met with Japanese government departments and drone association groups to understand Japan's experience in promoting drone regulations, flight management, logistics applications, and testing/verification sites.

The Taichung City Economic Development Bureau issued a press release today, stating that through the Japan Drone 2026 exhibition, they visited Japanese public sectors and groups to gain an in-depth understanding of the role and function of the Japanese government in the drone industry. For example, Fukushima Prefecture has established a world-class drone testing base that can accommodate tests from small drones to large eVTOLs for takeoff, landing, or transportation. It is also involved in disaster relief and mountain search, addressing disaster prevention needs, while also committing to talent cultivation, offering tax incentives, providing subsidies for settlement and R&D, and supporting testing sites to form a true industrial cluster.

The bureau explained that Oita Prefecture has established the Oita Drone Council to promote business matching, technical exchange, market expansion, international exhibitions, and talent cultivation. It also provides R&D subsidies and has established testing sites and laboratories, such as the Ds-Labo, which can serve as a flight test site, equipment testing field, and laboratory, where companies can also directly set up for R&D. The Oita prefectural government has also applied drones in practical areas, including disaster prevention, mountain inspections, river monitoring, agricultural applications, and delivery services to remote areas or outlying islands.

The bureau pointed out that the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA) is one of Japan's largest drone industry promotion organizations. It has long assisted the Japanese government in formulating drone regulations and flight standards and shared its experience of cooperating with the Royal Government of Bhutan to establish a drone flight system.

Chang Feng-Yuan explained that various bureaus and departments of the city government have already incorporated drones into municipal operations. In the future, they will draw on Japan's innovative use of drones and continue to promote their application in various aspects such as agriculture, surveying, disaster prevention, and environmental or facility inspections. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150607