Verification of a Drone Operation Model for Mount Rokko, Kobe City, with an Eye Toward Real Disasters
Nihon Computer Net Co., Ltd. conducted a drone operation demonstration on Mount Rokko in collaboration with the Kobe City Crisis Management Bureau. The project focused on building a practical, highly reproducible operation model for disaster scenarios, including logistics and information gathering, while testing Level 3.5 flight protocols and LTE-based communication. The findings will be used to develop standardized operational guidelines for disaster response in Kobe City.
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- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 02:57
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 18:37
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Nihon Computer Net Co., Ltd., in collaboration with the Kobe City Crisis Management Bureau, conducted a drone operation demonstration on Mount Rokko with an eye toward utilization during disasters.
This demonstration was not merely a flight test or a logistics experiment; its purpose was to build an operation model that can be directly connected to real-world disaster scenarios. In the event of a disaster, rapid and effective drone operations are required for tasks such as confirming damage, transporting supplies to isolated areas, assessing road accessibility, and gathering information necessary for initial response. In this demonstration, we assumed such real-world operations and verified how highly reproducible and safe an operation system could be established during peacetime.
[Image: Flight route for this verification (elevation difference of approx. 200m)]
A key feature of this demonstration is that it was conducted under more practical operational conditions, based on the premise of Level 3.5 flight. Additionally, using an operation system utilizing LTE signals, we accumulated knowledge from multiple perspectives directly linked to disaster response, such as operational feasibility in the field, safety confirmation methods, criteria for suspending operations, and coordination systems among stakeholders.
One of the main findings obtained through the demonstration is that to achieve practical operations during a disaster, it is insufficient to simply verify aircraft performance or flight distance. It is necessary to design operations as an integrated whole, including safety checks when crossing roads, preventing vehicles from entering landing sites, confirming the absence of third parties, and establishing procedures for emergency suspension and evacuation. In particular, when considering the possibility of single-operator operations, the importance of pre-organizing judgment criteria and monitoring methods for each site was reaffirmed.
[Image: Approximately 10kg of medical supplies]
Furthermore, this demonstration clarified that in order to incorporate peacetime demonstration results into disaster guidelines, it is essential to organize operational aspects such as judgment of flight feasibility, the flow of deployment requests, communication systems with relevant agencies, and the standardization of safety measures. Therefore, we will continue our discussions with Kobe City, with whom we have concluded an "Agreement on the Operation of Unmanned Aircraft During Disasters, etc.," with a view to reflecting the knowledge gained this time in internal guidelines for drone utilization during disasters.
Nihon Computer Net Co., Ltd. will continue to work with local governments and relevant organizations to advance initiatives that connect peacetime demonstrations to implementation during disasters, thereby contributing to the improvement of regional disaster prevention capabilities.
[Image: (No caption)]
This demonstration was not merely a flight test or a logistics experiment; its purpose was to build an operation model that can be directly connected to real-world disaster scenarios. In the event of a disaster, rapid and effective drone operations are required for tasks such as confirming damage, transporting supplies to isolated areas, assessing road accessibility, and gathering information necessary for initial response. In this demonstration, we assumed such real-world operations and verified how highly reproducible and safe an operation system could be established during peacetime.
[Image: Flight route for this verification (elevation difference of approx. 200m)]
A key feature of this demonstration is that it was conducted under more practical operational conditions, based on the premise of Level 3.5 flight. Additionally, using an operation system utilizing LTE signals, we accumulated knowledge from multiple perspectives directly linked to disaster response, such as operational feasibility in the field, safety confirmation methods, criteria for suspending operations, and coordination systems among stakeholders.
One of the main findings obtained through the demonstration is that to achieve practical operations during a disaster, it is insufficient to simply verify aircraft performance or flight distance. It is necessary to design operations as an integrated whole, including safety checks when crossing roads, preventing vehicles from entering landing sites, confirming the absence of third parties, and establishing procedures for emergency suspension and evacuation. In particular, when considering the possibility of single-operator operations, the importance of pre-organizing judgment criteria and monitoring methods for each site was reaffirmed.
[Image: Approximately 10kg of medical supplies]
Furthermore, this demonstration clarified that in order to incorporate peacetime demonstration results into disaster guidelines, it is essential to organize operational aspects such as judgment of flight feasibility, the flow of deployment requests, communication systems with relevant agencies, and the standardization of safety measures. Therefore, we will continue our discussions with Kobe City, with whom we have concluded an "Agreement on the Operation of Unmanned Aircraft During Disasters, etc.," with a view to reflecting the knowledge gained this time in internal guidelines for drone utilization during disasters.
Nihon Computer Net Co., Ltd. will continue to work with local governments and relevant organizations to advance initiatives that connect peacetime demonstrations to implementation during disasters, thereby contributing to the improvement of regional disaster prevention capabilities.
[Image: (No caption)]