Akihahara News (Tokyo) — Seino Holdings, a transportation firm, and Aeronext, a startup promoting next-generation drones, have begun tests of the SkyHub drone delivery service that is under development.
Having announced their partnership in January, the two firms as well as other partners conducted a series of practical tests in Kamishihoro town in central Hokkaido.
One of these tests focused on an elderly resident of the town, Mrs. Omichi (pictured above), who ordinarily takes a bus to do her shopping, but in this case ordered groceries from a supermarket by tablet and two minutes later had a drone delivery to her door.
In another test conducted with the support of a local tourism company, drinks and wagyu steaks were delivered to a glamping site in a remote field, with the notion that this could become a new service for tourists who come to experience the outdoors.
Seino and Aeronext are planning for SkyHub to become a nationwide smart logistics system that connects conventional transportation networks and drone services so that goods can be delivered anytime, anywhere in Japan. They believe that drones may become particularly important in rural areas such as Hokkaido, and improve the quality of life for elderly residents.
In November, the firms expect to launch full drone delivery services in Kamishihoro town as the first step towards these national ambitions.
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