Could Japan be the next drone giant? Prime Minister looks to push domestic production to reduce reliance on China
- Japan ramps up drone production to reduce dependence on Chinese manufacturers
- Defense startups are shifting from civilian projects into military drone manufacturing rapidly
- Japan dramatically increases funding for interceptor drones and autonomous defense systems
Japan's drive toward large-scale drone manufacturing has gained fresh urgency, as a growing cluster of startups, including Eams Robotics and Terra Drone, are now shifting from civilian projects toward defense-oriented drone production.
A report from Nikkei Asia said Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi seeks to reduce the country's reliance on Chinese suppliers.
Chinese firms currently hold about 90% of the global industrial drone market, a dominance Tokyo now views as a strategic vulnerability worth addressing.
Startups pivot from civilian work
Eams Robotics began in 2016 as an aerial photography company serving television broadcasters before moving into drone manufacturing two years later.
The company, based in Minamisoma, has since worked with Sagawa Express, the University of Tokyo,...
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