Uhurus Participation in Disaster Drone Testing to Monitor Tsunami Damage in Japan
In a significant step towards enhancing disaster preparedness, Uhurus, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, is participating in the "Susami Smart City Promotion Consortium". This initiative recently conducted a testing phase for disaster drones as part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's support project for implementing smart cities. The tests took place in Susami and Kushimoto towns within Wakayama Prefecture. The primary aim of this project is to assess the impact of tsunami-induced flooding, particularly in areas vulnerable to natural disasters such as the anticipated Nankai Trough earthquake.
The towns of Susami and Kushimoto face critical challenges in swiftly gathering data on areas likely to be inundated by tsunamis. After a disaster strikes, the disruption of roads and communication lines often hampers immediate access to vital information. As such, it's crucial to establish a system that allows various organizations to share the same data in real-time. The recent drone tests harnessed SoftBank's communication network to support the drones' automated flight and navigation controls. Drones flew over the coastal areas considered at risk of flooding, capturing footage that was shared in real-time via Uhurus' "Susami Guide", facilitating a collaborative effort among local government staff and the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF).
The drone operation, which covered an approximate distance of 11 kilometers along the coastline, was designed to inspect the potential impact of tsunami flooding. The video footage captured by the drones was disseminated through Uhurus' data integration platform "CUCON" on a digital mapping service known as "Susami Guide". This allowed for immediate sharing of footage with neighboring municipalities and the JSDF, thus serving to validate the effectiveness of broad cooperative disaster response efforts.
In response to the testing, participants remarked that the ability to share information across municipal boundaries was innovative. Additionally, they highlighted the importance and significance of simultaneous observation from multiple locations. This feedback serves to encourage future considerations towards strengthening information-sharing systems during disasters and establishing collaborative frameworks with other municipalities.
Uhurus established a base in Wakayama Prefecture back in October 2018, aiming to leverage technology to solve local challenges. Currently, the company is supporting digital transformation (DX) initiatives across approximately 40 municipalities nationwide, with a strong focus on Wakayama. Through the Susami Smart City Promotion Consortium, Uhurus has contributed substantially to the digital transformation of local disaster services, education, and urban development. In 2023, the company organized a resident-participatory "Digital Evacuation Drill", visualizing evacuee locations and expected tsunami inundation data on maps, thereby facilitating analysis and recommendations for evacuation behavior. Looking ahead, in 2024, Uhurus will implement an AI-based design education program for local middle school students as part of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "Future Classroom" initiative.
The Susami Smart City Promotion Consortium was founded in August 2021 by seven organizations, including Susami Town, aimed at promoting the city's development into a smart city. This consortium addresses regional challenges such as disaster prevention, tourism information dissemination, aging population issues, and population decline, striving for a sustainable community.
Uhurus operates under the belief that "technology and free thinking can create a sustainable society". The company supports and promotes digital transformation (DX) and data utilization for businesses and communities. From cloud service implementation and operation to consulting and system development, Uhurus offers a one-stop solution that spans from the edge to the cloud. Beyond corporate operations, Uhurus is committed to realizing DX for regions and industries, proposing the adoption and standardization of reliable data distribution mechanisms essential for smart cities and smart supply chains while actively engaging in research and development in the intersection of IoT and blockchain.
Background and Significance
The towns of Susami and Kushimoto face critical challenges in swiftly gathering data on areas likely to be inundated by tsunamis. After a disaster strikes, the disruption of roads and communication lines often hampers immediate access to vital information. As such, it's crucial to establish a system that allows various organizations to share the same data in real-time. The recent drone tests harnessed SoftBank's communication network to support the drones' automated flight and navigation controls. Drones flew over the coastal areas considered at risk of flooding, capturing footage that was shared in real-time via Uhurus' "Susami Guide", facilitating a collaborative effort among local government staff and the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF).
Details of the Test
The drone operation, which covered an approximate distance of 11 kilometers along the coastline, was designed to inspect the potential impact of tsunami flooding. The video footage captured by the drones was disseminated through Uhurus' data integration platform "CUCON" on a digital mapping service known as "Susami Guide". This allowed for immediate sharing of footage with neighboring municipalities and the JSDF, thus serving to validate the effectiveness of broad cooperative disaster response efforts.
In response to the testing, participants remarked that the ability to share information across municipal boundaries was innovative. Additionally, they highlighted the importance and significance of simultaneous observation from multiple locations. This feedback serves to encourage future considerations towards strengthening information-sharing systems during disasters and establishing collaborative frameworks with other municipalities.
Ongoing and Future Efforts
Uhurus established a base in Wakayama Prefecture back in October 2018, aiming to leverage technology to solve local challenges. Currently, the company is supporting digital transformation (DX) initiatives across approximately 40 municipalities nationwide, with a strong focus on Wakayama. Through the Susami Smart City Promotion Consortium, Uhurus has contributed substantially to the digital transformation of local disaster services, education, and urban development. In 2023, the company organized a resident-participatory "Digital Evacuation Drill", visualizing evacuee locations and expected tsunami inundation data on maps, thereby facilitating analysis and recommendations for evacuation behavior. Looking ahead, in 2024, Uhurus will implement an AI-based design education program for local middle school students as part of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "Future Classroom" initiative.
About the Susami Smart City Promotion Consortium
The Susami Smart City Promotion Consortium was founded in August 2021 by seven organizations, including Susami Town, aimed at promoting the city's development into a smart city. This consortium addresses regional challenges such as disaster prevention, tourism information dissemination, aging population issues, and population decline, striving for a sustainable community.
About Uhurus
Uhurus operates under the belief that "technology and free thinking can create a sustainable society". The company supports and promotes digital transformation (DX) and data utilization for businesses and communities. From cloud service implementation and operation to consulting and system development, Uhurus offers a one-stop solution that spans from the edge to the cloud. Beyond corporate operations, Uhurus is committed to realizing DX for regions and industries, proposing the adoption and standardization of reliable data distribution mechanisms essential for smart cities and smart supply chains while actively engaging in research and development in the intersection of IoT and blockchain.
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