Wingcopter, a leading drone delivery company, announced this week it has embarked on the Type Certification (TC) procedure for Japan with support from the ITOCHU Corporation, reports a press release.
The German-based Wingcopter has applied and received acceptance for beginning the TC process of its Wingcopter 198 delivery drone. “This marks the first time a foreign company’s drone and the first time a fixed-wing drone has been accepted under the unmanned aircraft class‑1 type certification by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism,” explains the release.
Once successful, Wingcopter will be granted permission to conduct flights equivalent to Level 4. This refers to Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) in populated areas, significantly expanding the application range of delivery drones.
This makes Wingcopter and its partner ITOCHU one of the first to set up commercial BVLOS operations in Japan. With its aging population and remote landscapes, including many inhabited islands, the country is considered one of the world’s primary markets for drone delivery.
Florian-Michael Adolf, Head of Certification at Wingcopter, remarked, “This represents significant progress for commercial drone delivery in Japan and beyond. We are striving for type certification, as it underscores our commitment to safety and the professionalism of our team.”
Masaharu Sato, Deputy General Manager, Aerospace Department at ITOCHU, added, “We see great potential in Wingcopter’s delivery drone to make everybody’s life better. It is our honour to collaborate with its dedicated professionals, led by the management team. We look forward to continuing this exciting journey together.”
The release continues, “The partners aim to use the Wingcopter 198 to establish drone delivery networks and services that can provide an air bridge to overcome various social challenges by transporting vital and urgently needed goods quickly and environmentally friendly over many kilometres and above challenging terrain.”
ITOCHU, a long-time business partner and investor in Wingcopter, who hold extensive knowledge, networks and resources in Japan, will conduct several Proof of Concepts under special permits until the expected TC is achieved.
In May last year, the collaboration successfully conducted the implementation of medical blood product transportation by Wingcopter’s delivery drones, the first of its kind in Japan.
In addition to the TC efforts in Japan, Wingcopter is currently undergoing the FAA type certification process in the U.S, which will also unlock the huge commercial potential of the North American market.
Warren Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway)
Background
Wingcopter’s investors also include the European Investment Bank, REWE Group, Salvia, XAI technologies, Xplorer Capital, Futury Capital, DRONE FUND, SYNERJET, Expa, Hessen Kapital III and Corecam Capital Partners.
Itochu Corporation has its HQ in Minato City, Tokyo and is one of the largest SOGO SHOSHA in Japan (a business that trades in a wide variety of products). Warren Buffet, and his company Berkshire Hathaway, has made a substantial investment in the firm.
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