Promoting R&D through Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration to Realize Drone Utilization in Firefighting Activities
Morita Holdings has been selected for the Fire and Disaster Management Agency's Research Promotion Program and is advancing R&D on next-generation firefighting tactics that combine drones with existing fire equipment. Following initial technical verification, the project is moving into a phase focused on practical operational validation.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 27, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 26, 2026 at 15:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 26, 2026 at 15:48 (16 min after Collected)
Morita Holdings Corporation (Headquarters: Osaka; President: Masayoshi Kato), following its selection for the 'FY2025 Fire and Disaster Science and Technology Research Promotion Program' by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, has collaborated with Morita Corporation (Headquarters: Hyogo; President: Mamoru Shirokamoto), the Osaka Municipal Fire Department, the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), and the Toyohashi University of Technology to carry out research and development for FY2025, achieving significant results and insights. Based on these findings, the project has also been selected for the 'FY2026 Fire and Disaster Science and Technology Research Promotion Program,' and R&D activities are continuing.
This research is driven by challenges faced during firefighting operations in flood-prone areas under tsunami warnings, as highlighted by the large-scale fires in Wajima City following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. The project aims to build means to continue firefighting operations safely, even in areas where firefighting personnel have difficulty accessing, such as large-scale fire sites following earthquakes or tsunamis.
1. First-Year Results
This research aims to construct methods (tactics) for utilizing drones in firefighting activities by combining existing drone bodies with firefighting vehicles and various equipment deployed by fire departments. In the first year, leveraging the company's fire extinguishing and water discharge technologies, the research verified technical requirements such as weight, reaction force, and communications necessary for drone-based water discharge activities.
Furthermore, the team conducted flight and water discharge experiments using drones owned by Exedy Corporation (Headquarters: Osaka; President: Tetsuya Yoshinaga), evaluating flight stability and aircraft behavior during water discharge under conditions simulating fire sites. As a result, the team confirmed the possibility of stable water discharge activities and verified that the company's Compressed Air Foam Systems (CAFS) technology could be highly effective in drone-based firefighting.
*CAFS (Compressed Air Foam Systems): A system that generates foam by adding a small amount of fire extinguishing agent to water and injecting compressed air. It increases the surface area of water to extinguish fires efficiently.
2. Future Developments
Based on the verification results from the first year, the project will move into a phase focused on practical application for FY2026. Centered on the accumulated fire-extinguishing and water-discharge technologies, the team will derive optimal conditions to establish concrete firefighting tactics that realize rapid and safe operations at disaster sites.
3. Research Content
R&D based on the Fire and Disaster Management Agency's 'Fire and Disaster Science and Technology Research Promotion Program' (FY2025-FY2026).
Research Topic: Research and development of methods for utilizing fire-extinguishing drones in combination with vehicles and equipment deployed by fire departments.
Research Structure
Research Representative: Morita Holdings Corporation
Research Collaborators: Morita Corporation, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Toyohashi University of Technology
Research Supporter: Osaka Municipal Fire Department
This research is driven by challenges faced during firefighting operations in flood-prone areas under tsunami warnings, as highlighted by the large-scale fires in Wajima City following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. The project aims to build means to continue firefighting operations safely, even in areas where firefighting personnel have difficulty accessing, such as large-scale fire sites following earthquakes or tsunamis.
1. First-Year Results
This research aims to construct methods (tactics) for utilizing drones in firefighting activities by combining existing drone bodies with firefighting vehicles and various equipment deployed by fire departments. In the first year, leveraging the company's fire extinguishing and water discharge technologies, the research verified technical requirements such as weight, reaction force, and communications necessary for drone-based water discharge activities.
Furthermore, the team conducted flight and water discharge experiments using drones owned by Exedy Corporation (Headquarters: Osaka; President: Tetsuya Yoshinaga), evaluating flight stability and aircraft behavior during water discharge under conditions simulating fire sites. As a result, the team confirmed the possibility of stable water discharge activities and verified that the company's Compressed Air Foam Systems (CAFS) technology could be highly effective in drone-based firefighting.
*CAFS (Compressed Air Foam Systems): A system that generates foam by adding a small amount of fire extinguishing agent to water and injecting compressed air. It increases the surface area of water to extinguish fires efficiently.
2. Future Developments
Based on the verification results from the first year, the project will move into a phase focused on practical application for FY2026. Centered on the accumulated fire-extinguishing and water-discharge technologies, the team will derive optimal conditions to establish concrete firefighting tactics that realize rapid and safe operations at disaster sites.
3. Research Content
R&D based on the Fire and Disaster Management Agency's 'Fire and Disaster Science and Technology Research Promotion Program' (FY2025-FY2026).
Research Topic: Research and development of methods for utilizing fire-extinguishing drones in combination with vehicles and equipment deployed by fire departments.
Research Structure
Research Representative: Morita Holdings Corporation
Research Collaborators: Morita Corporation, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Toyohashi University of Technology
Research Supporter: Osaka Municipal Fire Department
FAQ
モリタホールディングスが推進している研究の内容は何ですか？
消防機関に配備されている車両や資機材とドローンを組み合わせ、消火活動におけるドローンの活用方法（戦術）を構築する研究開発です。
この研究の背景にはどのような出来事がありますか？
令和6年能登半島地震に伴う輪島市大規模火災において、津波警報下など消防隊員の進入が困難な区域での消火活動が課題となったことが背景にあります。
初年度の検証で明らかになったことは何ですか？
ドローンによる放水活動の技術要件や飛行安定性の評価を行い、モリタの圧縮空気泡消火システム（CAFS）がドローン消火に高い有効性を発揮する可能性があることを確認しました。
令和8年度以降の研究方針を教えてください。
実践的な運用を見据えた検証フェーズへ移行し、災害現場での迅速かつ安全な消火活動を実現する具体的な消防戦術を確立します。
研究開発体制にはどのような組織が関わっていますか？
株式会社モリタホールディングスが代表を務め、株式会社モリタ、奈良先端科学技術大学院大学、豊橋技術科学大学が連携し、大阪市消防局が支援を行っています。