'Summarizing 10 Years of Drone Implementation' Drone Japan Chairman Hisanori Sunohara Holds Special Seminar on 'Why the Drone Industry is Difficult' to Mark 100th Column

Drone Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kiichiro Katsumata; hereinafter 'Drone Japan'), which develops businesses and provides consulting utilizing drones, will hold a special seminar on May 13 and May 20, 2026, titled 'Why the Drone Industry is Difficult' (~Structures seen from writing and contemplating 100 columns on drone.jp~) to commemorate the 10th anniversary and 100th installment of the column series by its Chairman of the Board, Hisanori Sunohara.

In this seminar, based on the analysis accumulated over 10 years and 100 columns, the essence of the drone industry will be organized from the perspective of 'industrial structure,' presenting future business strategies and paths to success.

Background: Why the drone industry is not expanding While the drone industry has garnered great expectations as the 'industrial revolution of the sky,' it faces structural issues such as: - Many proof-of-concept experiments, but no implementation - Technology exists, but it's not monetized - There is a market, but it doesn't scale

In his column series to date, Sunohara has advocated that drones should be viewed not as aircraft, but as 'data acquisition devices' and 'digital platforms.' Furthermore, he has consistently pointed out that businesses cannot be established unless the industry is understood in a three-tier structure of hardware, software, and data. This seminar will systematize these 100 contemplations and clearly explain 'why many companies fail' and 'how to succeed.'

Seminar Highlights 1. Clarifying the 'Structure of Failure' From the examples of proof-of-concept experiments and business development over the past 10 years, we will organize the common structures of why drone businesses fail to materialize. 2. The Evolution and Current State of the Drone Industry Based on the evolution from Drone 1.0 (hardware) to Drone 3.0 (platform), we will explain where the competitive domain has shifted. 3. Structural Issues Unique to Japan We will unravel the Japan-specific problem of 'stopping at proof-of-concept' from the perspectives of business models, operational design, and regulations. 4. Geopolitics and Supply Chains As drones transform into security technology, we will explain the impact of issues related to dependence on China, procurement, and domestic production on business. 5. Future Paths to Success As software, data, and platforms, rather than hardware, become the competitive domains, we will present the strategies that companies should take.

Event Overview - Title: 'Why the Drone Industry is Difficult' (~Structures seen from writing and contemplating 100 columns on drone.jp~) - Speaker: Hisanori Sunohara, Chairman of the Board, Drone Japan Co., Ltd. - Date & Time: Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 15:00-17:00 Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 15:00-17:00 (Seminar content is the same on the 13th and 20th) - Format: [In-person: KS Floor Seminar Room, 5F Resona Kudan Bldg, 1-5-6 Kudanminami, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo / and Online streaming] - Target Audience: Management of companies promoting or utilizing drone businesses, new business development managers, infrastructure/construction/logistics/security related companies, municipal officials, etc. - Participation Fee: Free (Advance registration required) - Details & Registration: https://www.drone-j.com/consulting-seminar/seminar_260513_0520/