On November 12, 2021, Associate Professor Satoshi Suzuki conducted a demonstration test of an underbrush-cutting drone developed jointly by BlueBee and Kyushu Electric Power at the Kuju Kyuden Forest in Yufuin City, Oita Prefecture. The team tested the effectiveness and safety of this drone with the cooperation of the Forestry Agency, the Forestry Research and Development Agency, and other related parties.

The experiment was supported by the Forestry Agency's “FY2021 Strategic Technology Development and Demonstration Project as part of the Comprehensive Measures to Promote Forestry Innovation”. The team aims to develop a drone that combines a large drone and a special brush-cutter to make up for the workforce shortage in the forestry industry.

Associate Professor Suzuki said, "In this experiment, I am in charge of developing the control system for the drone. Cutting the underbrush in the forest is hard work with a large area, but it is an essential task for maintaining the forest. Today, we have confirmed that the drone can fly safely in the experiment; we plan to check its effectiveness in the woods and make adjustments for practical use.

Related Information

 

• Satoshi Suzuki: CAIV Highlights “Honing Drone’s Agility with Sophisticate Control System”