KUMEJIMA (Okinawa Pref.): ANA Holdings Inc. on Wednesday demonstrated a drone delivery service in the town of Kumejima, Okinawa Prefecture.

It was the second trial in Japan of Level 4 drone operation, which allows a drone to fly over an urban area without visual observation by the operator.

In the demonstration, a drone operated by an ANA Holdings official carried a box of groceries from a local supermarket to the destination, an open space 2.3 kilometers away, in about five minutes. The box was then delivered by a volunteer to the home of a local resident.

The resident, Kiyomi Yoshimoto, 50, said that many elderly people in the area have difficulty going shopping. “It would be more convenient if the drone could carry heavier items such as bags of rice,” Yoshimoto said.

In the future, ANA Holdings aims to use drones to transport goods between remote islands. “We are at the starting line to implement the service,” said Yoshiaki Tsuda, head of the company’s future creation division.

JIJI Press