MAX Corporation and Kyuden Drone Service Sign Basic Agreement on Business Alliance

MAX Corporation (Kitakyushu, Fukuoka; Tatsumitsu Miyahara, Representative Director and CEO; hereinafter "MAX") and Kyuden Drone Service Inc. (Fukuoka, Fukuoka; Kenichi Honda, Representative Director and President; hereinafter "QDS") have agreed to form a business alliance in the field of infrastructure inspection utilizing drones, including the domestic small drone IBIS2, and have signed a basic agreement regarding this business alliance (hereinafter "this Alliance").

Through this Alliance, both companies will leverage their respective strengths in technology, know-how, and human resources to further utilize drones for infrastructure inspection and accelerate their social implementation. In addition, they will promote sales activities, the provision of inspection services, the advancement of operational technologies, and the training of drone pilots and human resources suited for industrial applications.

Background of the Alliance

While the aging of social infrastructure such as sewers is becoming a nationwide issue, there is a growing demand to ensure safety and to advance and streamline inspection operations. Particularly in inspection sites involving narrow and closed spaces, issues such as severe working environments and labor shortages have become apparent, increasing the importance of socially implementing new inspection methods utilizing drones.

Against this background, QDS—which has an extensive track record of infrastructure inspections centered on power facilities, a nationwide network, and an abundant operator system—and MAX—which possesses specialized drone operational technologies for inspections in narrow and closed spaces and expertise in domestic drones (such as IBIS2)—have determined that by combining their mutual technologies and know-how, they can provide safer and more reliable drone services, leading to the conclusion of this Alliance.

Purpose and Details of the Alliance

In this Alliance, both companies will mutually utilize their technologies, know-how, human resources, and sales bases to advance the following initiatives:

(1) Promotion of sales activities and joint proposals aimed at the social implementation and nationwide expansion of infrastructure inspection using IBIS2. (2) Strengthening of the service provision system toward providing safe and reliable inspection services through mutual support regarding operational technologies (including narrow and dark spaces), equipment, pilots, and human resource resources. (3) Collaboration in practical drone pilot training and human resource development suited for industrial applications, utilizing the expertise of both companies' drone schools. (4) Cooperation in promoting the spread and supporting the sales of domestic drone airframes, including IBIS2.

*Both companies are Gold Partners who have concluded a dealership agreement for "IBIS2" with Liberaware Co., Ltd.

Future Developments

Moving forward, by combining QDS's customer base centered on the power and infrastructure sectors and its network with other power companies and collaboration partners, with MAX's operational technologies in narrow and closed spaces, the companies aim to create projects and expand services nationwide in various infrastructure inspection fields, including sewer inspections.

Furthermore, in pilot training, through education and training that reflects on-site needs, they will continuously produce human resources capable of ensuring high operational quality, contributing to the spread of drone-based infrastructure inspections and the development of the entire industry.

About MAX Corporation: Established in April 2003. Based on the on-site response capabilities cultivated in the construction industry, the company operates businesses including machinery and equipment installation and demolition, and in recent years, has consistently handled everything from domestic drone sales and human resource development to implementation support and on-site operation. In particular, it is challenging to create an environment where people can work more safely by utilizing drone technology in hazardous sites such as sewer investigations and social infrastructure inspections.

About Kyuden Drone Service Inc.: Established in April 2024. The company has worked on utilizing drones and robots for internal facility inspections at Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc., and possesses abundant airframes and operators. To contribute to solving issues in local communities nationwide, it plans to develop and provide new inspection and surveying services and sell proprietary patented software in addition to its conventional service menu.