A Japanese manufacturer of industrial drones is launching a business project to use its products as a platform for detectors able find landmines “sown” in Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion. The company plans to make its project commercially viable as early as 2025, according to the Japanese business outlet Nikkei.
Japanese journalists point out that Prodrone, a Nagoya-based company, will cooperate with the Tokyo consulting agency Padeco to commercialize the project. Prodrone will supply and maintain geodesic drones that can fly at a height of about 50 centimeters (20 inches) above the ground, while Padeco will be responsible for negotiations with Ukraine’s local authorities and companies. They plan to eventually transfer the development of mine detection equipment and drone operation to a Ukrainian company.
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The methodology for mine clearance is summarized as follows:
- Its drones can detect metal objects while flying at the optimum height.
- Artificial intelligence will determine whether the object is a landmine or other explosive object.
- On confirmation of the nature of the object its coordinates will be recorded and this information will be transmitted to the Ukrainian government.
Prodrone says it will increase the accuracy of metal detection and improve AI, as well as establish wireless communication using satellites as part of the project.
While the use of drones for mine detection in Ukraine is not new, Japanese journalists note that there are no projects operating drones at the scale envisaged by Prodrone. The Japanese company has wide experience of operating drones at the ultra-low-altitude flights that will allow the technology to successfully search for landmines.
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Since 2022, more than 600 Ukraine civilians have been killed or injured by anti-personnel landmines and other ERW. Ukraine is already second to Syria in terms of the number of mine victims, according to statistics published by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
Prodrone announced the project in June and is currently working on obtaining a $400,000 grant through the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) for a pilot scheme. If the company’s testing is successful, which it expects to begin as early as November, UNIDO will consider providing up to $6.45 million to fund the full-scale project, which. Prodrone hopes will start in the 2025 and employ around 1,000 drones.
Prodrone has also been working with Padeco since April to research the use of its drones to inspect Ukraine's power grid.
“In the future, we would like to contribute to the country's economic recovery by developing drone production as an export industry for Ukraine,” the company's CEO, Shunsuke Toya said.
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