Tsunami countermeasures for the Nankai Trough earthquake: Realizing a safe and secure society for humans and pets with 'Drone Laser Search'!
NPO Light Search Association announced a vision for a nationwide drone laser search team. By combining green lasers and retroreflective QR codes, it enables rapid nighttime and underwater rescue operations.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 18:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 09:36
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 05:15 (499h 39m after Collected)
Our association supports 'April Dream', a project that aims to make April 1st a day to broadcast dreams. This press release is the dream of 'NPO Light Search Association' (Osaka City, Chairman: Yoshinobu Maeda). In cooperation with APEX Corporation (Tokyo, Representative: Yusuke Shimoto), the managing company for eastern Japan, and SMG Consultant Corporation (Yamaguchi City, Representative: Fumiyoshi Okamura), the managing company for western Japan, we will organize a 'National Drone Laser Search Team' to realize green laser searches nationwide. In the event of a disaster, unfortunately, visual search is currently the only available method. However, visual searches are only effective during the daytime, and nighttime searches are prohibited due to the risk of secondary disasters. If left stranded in the ocean on a cold night, the probability of survival becomes infinitely small. By having both humans and pets wear a 'retroreflective variable QR code', we can realize a safe and secure society through rapid searches regardless of day or night. This system will also become an essential item when riding 'flying cars & taxis', which are planned for commercial operation as early as next year. We have the technology for 'drone laser search', so let's spread it throughout society together and realize a world where both people and pets can live with peace of mind!
■ What is [Drone Laser Search using Retroreflective Variable QR Code]?
The 'Retroreflective Variable QR Code' is an advanced disaster prevention and safety support tool that combines retroreflective materials with a variable QR code, revolutionizing the concept of 'discoverability' utilizing light. Because the special retroreflective material responds with high sensitivity to laser light, rapid and wide-area searches using drone lasers become possible even in environments where radio communication is difficult, such as in mountains or at sea. Furthermore, the reason for making the retroreflective material into a QR code is to enable individual identification and reduce search times.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of victims and pets could be washed away by tsunamis caused by massive earthquakes in the Nankai Trough or Tohoku regions. When washed into the ocean, radio waves physically cannot penetrate the water, so visual searching is currently the only effective method. On the other hand, in our proposed green laser search, it is possible to search up to 10 meters underwater, and by irradiating the laser like a carpet, strong reflected light from the retroreflective material can be semi-automatically analyzed. It has a clear advantage over visual searches. In particular, visual searches are not conducted at night due to poor visibility. Furthermore, nighttime searches are prohibited due to the danger of secondary disasters. We want to prevent victims and pets from drifting in the sea during cold nights. Conversely, unmanned drones pose no risk of secondary disasters, and nighttime searches are more effective because there is less interference from daytime sunlight. Therefore, we aim to equip people and cute pets with gear that allows for 'laser searches' even during normal times.
■ What is [Drone Laser Search using Retroreflective Variable QR Code]?
The 'Retroreflective Variable QR Code' is an advanced disaster prevention and safety support tool that combines retroreflective materials with a variable QR code, revolutionizing the concept of 'discoverability' utilizing light. Because the special retroreflective material responds with high sensitivity to laser light, rapid and wide-area searches using drone lasers become possible even in environments where radio communication is difficult, such as in mountains or at sea. Furthermore, the reason for making the retroreflective material into a QR code is to enable individual identification and reduce search times.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of victims and pets could be washed away by tsunamis caused by massive earthquakes in the Nankai Trough or Tohoku regions. When washed into the ocean, radio waves physically cannot penetrate the water, so visual searching is currently the only effective method. On the other hand, in our proposed green laser search, it is possible to search up to 10 meters underwater, and by irradiating the laser like a carpet, strong reflected light from the retroreflective material can be semi-automatically analyzed. It has a clear advantage over visual searches. In particular, visual searches are not conducted at night due to poor visibility. Furthermore, nighttime searches are prohibited due to the danger of secondary disasters. We want to prevent victims and pets from drifting in the sea during cold nights. Conversely, unmanned drones pose no risk of secondary disasters, and nighttime searches are more effective because there is less interference from daytime sunlight. Therefore, we aim to equip people and cute pets with gear that allows for 'laser searches' even during normal times.