Photo: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) tested its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during Nankai Rescue 2024, a disaster response exercise led by Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force (GSDF) Middle Army. According to the company's press release on Wednesday (Mar. 5), the exercise was...
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Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) tested its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during Nankai Rescue 2024, a disaster response exercise led by Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force (GSDF) Middle Army. According to the company's press release on Wednesday (Mar. 5), the exercise was conducted in preparation for a potential major earthquake in the Nankai Trough and involved around 11,300 personnel from the GSDF, Maritime Self-Defence Force, and Air Self-Defence Force, as well as local governments, private companies, and U.S. Forces in Japan. The UAV trials were held on Awaji Island on 15 January.
MHI, working with the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA), deployed two types of UAVs developed by its Commercial Aviation Systems segment: a small single-rotor UAV to assess damage and locate victims, and a medium-sized multirotor UAV to transport heavy cargo. Both UAVs successfully completed their designated tasks during the exercise.
The medium-sized UAV was tested for delivering heavy relief supplies in challenging conditions. It transported 150 kg of bottled water in winds reaching nearly 10 m/s. The cargo was kept close to the UAV during takeoff and flight to reduce wind resistance. Once at the target location, presumed to be an isolated disaster area, the UAV remained in a hovering state while automatically lowering and releasing the cargo using a winch. This was the first successful demonstration of a UAV autonomously unloading heavy cargo using this method.
The small-sized UAV was used to assess post-disaster conditions. Its onboard camera provided images of affected areas, helping confirm the extent of damage and the status of victims.
MHI is leveraging its experience in aircraft development to refine UAVs for both civilian and defence applications. The company plans further trials to enhance safety and reliability while working on additional features, such as satellite communication for areas lacking mobile coverage and hybrid propulsion systems to extend the range of medium-sized UAVs.
Future applications for the small-sized UAV include damage assessment, wide-area patrols, and infrastructure monitoring. The medium-sized UAV could be used for delivering relief supplies to isolated areas, supporting logistics in remote regions, and transporting materials for construction projects in areas with limited road access.
MHI states that it will continue developing UAV solutions to address various challenges in disaster response and logistics.
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