KDDI Smart Drone Timeline

Events

• 2026-07-22 - Capability - KDDI Smart Drone controls an aircraft directly over au Starlink Direct - The flying aircraft exchanged control signals and telemetry directly through Starlink Mobile. The May demonstration took place in Takahagi, Ibaraki, and was announced on 22 July. KDDI described it as Japan's first drone flight-control demonstration using… - source: newsroom.kddi.com
• 2026-05-21 - Capability - KDDI Smart Drone demonstrates one-operator control of 10 drones - KDDI and KDDI Smart Drone completed a multi-site demonstration in which one remote operator managed ten drones using telemetry-led monitoring. Ten drones operated across multiple regions from 23 March to 27 April 2026. The test validated telemetry-led… - source: kddi.smartdrone.co.jp
• 2023-11-28 - Partnership - JAL and KDDI Smart Drone form capital and business alliance - Japan Airlines and KDDI Smart Drone signed a business alliance, and JAL agreed to acquire shares through a third-party allotment. The alliance covers drone delivery and one-to-many flight operations. JAL joined KDDI as a shareholder in KDDI Smart Drone. - source: kddi.smartdrone.co.jp