The Japanese government will end the prohibition on drones accessing 5G high-speed wireless communications networks in fiscal 2024, Nikkei has learned, enabling higher-definition images for disaster relief and infrastructure inspections.
With 5G’s real-time transmission and reception of large amounts of data, drones would be able to relay 4K high-definition video and other images.
The use of 5G-enabled devices in airspace is currently banned. The government plans to revise regulations to allow such use for drones.
In disasters, drones transmitting high-resolution images would help to quickly identify the extent of flooding or damage to homes. For infrastructure inspections, the drone imagery will enable the detection of minor cracks and other problems when checking such hard-to-reach places as steel towers and mountainous areas.
Broadcasting high-definition aerial images during outdoor sporting events, such as golf, would be another application.
When a drone uses a 5G network, it transmits signals from unobstructed airspace, which can cause interference with ordinary cellular phones and cause communications problems. The government aims to establish a method to prevent interference by narrowing down the frequency bands and radio wave output for drone use.
Companies are already using drones in a wide variety of ways. Kao will consider field-testing them in Hyogo prefecture and elsewhere for transporting 50 kilograms or more of cargo over long distances, with an eye on underpopulated areas.
The global market for 5G-enabled drones will expand from $120 million in 2022 to $697 million in 2025, according to YH Research. It is projected to reach $2.23 billion in 2029.
There is also hope that drones can be used to improve delivery efficiency. Shingo Maeda, a director at the Drone Service Promotion Association, noted that
“in the future, when many drones are operated remotely at the same time, using 5G will be safer.”
Photo: Masaki Fushii
Source: Nikkei Asia