Drones and Robots for
Ecologically Sustainable Societies project(DRESS project)

Today, NEDO, NEC Corporation, NTT DATA Corporation, Hitachi, Ltd., Zenrin Corporation, and Japan Meteorological Association released the API specification of Drone Traffic Management System, in order to enhance the interoperability test environment at the Fukushima Robot Test Field in the Reconstruction (Fukko) Industrial Park. The interoperability test will be held at the Fukushima Robot Test Field with the cooperation of Fukushima Prefecture, Minamisoma City and the Fukushima Innovation Coast Initiatives Promotion Organization.

By using the API, even domestic and foreign drone operators who have not participated in the NEDO project will be able to conduct interoperability test with Drone Traffic Management System at the Fukushima robot test field.

We are planning to release test tools for the API and hold the interoperability test information session at the Fukushima Robot Test Field in July 26th. Our current plan is to start operating the Drone Traffic Management System’s API in order to conduct interoperability test at the Fukushima Robot Test Field in August 30th.

The interoperability test that mentioned above will be conducted based on the cooperative agreement on demonstration of robots and drones that NEDO and Fukushima Prefecture concluded in  July 22nd, 2017.

1.Overview

The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) promotes the project^※1 that has developed Drone Traffic Management System for safe operation of multiple drone operators in the same airspace. The project also conducts the Drone Traffic Management System’s demonstration test^※2 at the Fukushima Robot Test Field^※3 which is in the Minamisoma City Reconstruction (Fukko) Industrial Park (in Namie Town, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture). In anticipation of proposals for international standards, we aim to be a society where all drone operators can operate drone safely and safely in the future.

Today, NEDO, NEC Corporation, NTT DATA Corporation, Hitachi, Ltd., Zenrin Corporation, and Japan Meteorological Association released the API specification of Drone Traffic Management System all together, in order to enhance the interoperability test environment at the Fukushima Robot Test Field in the Reconstruction (Fukko) Industrial Park. The interoperability test will be held at the Fukushima Robot Test Field with the cooperation of Fukushima Prefecture, Minamisoma City and the Fukushima Innovation Coast Initiatives Promotion Organization. API^※4 specification can be downloaded from the following web site.

Check the Drone Traffic Management System API website here.

By using the API, even domestic and foreign drone operators who have not participated in the NEDO project will be able to conduct interoperability test with the drone traffic management system at the Fukushima robot test field.

We are also planning to release test tools for the API in July 26th. Our current plan is to start accepting applications for using and connecting to the Drone Flight Control System API and issuing IDs in 30th August.

The interoperability test that mentioned above will be conducted based on the Cooperative Agreement^※5 on demonstration of robots and drones that NEDO and Fukushima Prefecture concluded in 22nd July, 2017.

2．Drone Traffic Management System’s API

The Drone Traffic Management System provides API for the Integrated Traffic Management and Information Provision Function. By connecting the API, drone operators can check other drones’ flight plan and real-time flight status. Also the service of the no-fly area safety information is provided. Moreover, Information Provision Function provides three-dimensional spatial information that was created with accurate height data necessary for creating safe flight paths for drones and detecting proximity to power transmission towers, buildings, and other obstacles. Data from weather observation equipment at the Fukushima Robot Test Field is used to provide high resolution and frequency wind information tailored for drones and to gather rain information.

By using the API, even domestic and foreign drone operators who have not participated in the NEDO project will be able to conduct interoperability test with the drone traffic management system at the Fukushima robot test field.

As the first step of API releasement, we released the API specification on  June 28^th. Drone operators can start developing the software for the coming interoperability test using this specification. For the second step, we plan to release test tools for the API in July 26th. In addition, we will hold the interoperability test information session at the Fukushima Robot Test Field. The third step of the API releasement is that start operating the server of Drone Traffic Management System in 30th August. Once it starts operating, drone operators can use the service of Drone Traffic Management System while flight testing at the Fukushima Robot Test Field.

3．Further plan

NEDO, NEC Corporation, NTT DATA Corporation, Hitachi, Ltd., Zenrin Corporation, and Japan Meteorological Association will conduct the interoperability test using the Drone Traffic Management System’s API until February in 2020. We aim to establish the Drone Traffic Management System’s API that can realize the safe operation of multiple drone operators in the same airspace.

【Note】

※1 Project
Project name: Drones and Robots for Ecologically Sustainable Societies project
Period: 5 years from 2017 to 2021 (plan)
Budget: 3.6 billion JPY
Check more information of the project here (Japanese only).

※2 Demonstration test of the Drone Traffic Management System
The Drone Traffic Management System for multiple drone operators in the same airspace was conducted. (Press Release March 1st, 2019, Japanese only)

※3 Fukushima Robot Test Field
The Fukushima Robot Test Field mainly targets robots which are expected to be used for logistics, infrastructure inspection, or large-scale disasters inspection. R&D, demonstration test, performance evaluation, maneuvering training can be performed while reproducing the actual use environment of the crawler robot, ROV, and UAV at the Fukushima Robot Test Field. The Field has being opening sequentially since 2018.

※4 API (application programming interface)
A mechanism of sharing program and software functions. By releasing the API on the Internet, domestic and foreign companies can use API services.

※5 the Cooperative Agreement on demonstration of robots and drones
In order to strengthen collaboration between NEDO and Fukushima Prefecture, the Cooperative Agreement on demonstration of robots and drones that NEDO and Fukushima Prefecture concluded in  July 22nd, 2017. By actively utilizing the Fukushima Robot Test Field in the Drones and Robots for Ecologically Sustainable Societies (DRESS) project, the practical use of robots and drones will be accelerate. Also, the Cooperative Agreement promotes the Fukushima Innovation Coast Initiatives Promotion Organization and activate the robot and drone industry.

Check the news release here (Japanese only).