Fascination with drones is a relatively new phenomenon in japan.  It took a 2015 incident, in which a private hobbyist managed to crash a small drone into the official residence of the country’s president, to spark widespread commercial and consumer interest. Since then, Japanese companies have begun producing the country’s first unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), forcing authorities to figure out ways to encourage the trend while ensuring that public buildings, commercial properties and citizens in their homes are protected from unwanted intrusions.

Last month, Japan’s first major exposition of locally-produced drones showcased just how far, and how quickly, the world’s leading electronics and computer producer is rushing to catch up with the rest of the Western world as well as China and even regional powers like Iran that view UAVs as critical to their economic future.  But Japan is still something of a reluctant newcomer to the drone world.  While officially encouraging UAV use, government authorities, led by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau, have also passed some of the world’s strictest national regulations on when, where and how drones can be flown, with stiff penalties (including, potentially, a year in jail) for those that abuse those rules.

Restrictions on drone use cover just about every issue imaginable.  For example, regulations passed in the 2016 Drone Act, which banned drone flights over most government buildings as well as airports and museums has been expanded to encompass nearly all Japanese and American military bases and as well as public and commercial infrastructure deemed of “strategic” importance (and potential vulnerable to terrorist attack).  But that’s not all.  Drones also can’t be flown over densely populated neighborhoods, are restricted from flying at night, and even in the daytime must rely on visible line of sight navigation only.  Drone operators who want to use a Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) capability must specifically request and justify the need for it, which  rarely happens, industry sources say, unless the proposed flight area is completely uninhabited.

There are also tough restrictions on the acceptable size and weight of drones.   Larger drones must be flown at high altitudes to avoid interfering with other air traffic and commercial and consumer communication. Only tiny drones, the kind that might be flown indoors, are left free from most legal restrictions (including the need for government registration).

One reason for the recent commercial drone exposition, its sponsors say, was to convince the Japanese government to loosen current restrictions to allow for more widespread use of fully autonomous UAVs as well as drones with BLOS navigation.  Some 200 different companies displayed their wares at the two-week long event held in Chiba City. Telecom giant SoftBank exhibited a drone that has six double propellers, which gives it more power than standard four-propeller models. SoftBank says its UAV can carry up to 20 kilograms, which would exceed current regulations.

Suzuki Shinji, president of the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association, which organized the exhibition, told local media that current government regulations are inhibiting the growth of Japan’s drone industry, reducing the country’s competitiveness.  He noted that Japanese companies have been developing drones that are safer and more reliable.  New government regulations are expected to be issued later this year.