Akihabara News (Tokyo) — A shoreline area in Kawasaki city near Haneda Airport is scheduled to host what may become the world’s first cargo drone logistics facility, equipped with a fleet of drones at least 24 strong.
The ESR Higashi Ogishima Distribution Centre is being constructed as a partnership between Hong Kong-listed ESR Cayman Limited, a logistics real estate platform, and the UK-based drone firm VRCO.
These companies intend that the nine-story facility will be able demonstrate in detail how a highly automated fleet of smart and self-aware air cargo vehicles, controlled by a state-of-the-art command center, can successfully manage air deliveries in a variety of weather conditions. This prototype facility would then become a model for other cargo drone logistics centers in other nations.
It will be designed to deliver about 14 tons of cargo on a daily basis upon its opening.
Japan was chosen as the nation to host this unique facility because the firms calculate that this country’s rapidly developing 5G infrastructure together with the proactive stance of the government as regards the development of an accommodating regulatory framework makes it their best bet.
Daniel Hayes, co-founder of VRCO, says, “We are delighted to be working with the leading logistics real estate platform in Asia, which appreciates the opportunities presented by eVTOL transportation. This is both relevant and timely now that Japan has published a roadmap embracing the air mobility revolution. Underpinning this revolution is the need for the infrastructure to be there and ready. The evolution of a distribution center to facilitate eVTOL cargo movement provides a compelling use case and value proposition to both ESR and its customers.”