1. Roadmap for the Application and Technology Development of UAVs in Japan
The Public-Private Sector Conference on Improving the Environment for UAVs, 28th Apr. 2016
In the conference, The Roadmap for the Application and Technology Development of UAVs in Japan was set. It defines 4 levels of UAS operations, with the aim of Level-3 Operation (BVLOS over less-populated areas) by 2018.
Present*～
2017～
Around 2018～
Future Image Post-2020s
Application
Flight Operations Goals:
（Level of Full-scale operation）
Level 2
Visual Line of Sight
Level 3
Beyond Visual Line of Sight, Less-populated Areas
Level 4
Beyond Visual Line of Sight, Populated Areas
Industrial Fields (Examples)
Delivery
Disaster Response
Infrastructure Maintenance Management
Surveying
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Technology Development
Performance of UAVs
UAS Traffic Management
Environmental Improvement
UAS Traffic Management System
Traffic Rules
Performance Measurement
* Level 1 (Visual Line of Sight, Remotely Piloted) has already been achieved.
Industrial Revolution in the Sky
Delivery in special zones, private estates, etc.
Delivery, mainly to isolated islands, mountain areas, etc.
Delivery service in areas including urban districts
Information gathering (aerial photography, surveying, etc.) in disaster areas
Search and rescue in disaster areas, cooperation of UAVs
Operation of many UAVs in the aftermaths of disasters (flights above people, harsh environments)
Practical uses for infrastructure across the country
Expansion of applications one-by-one
(Described in the roadmaps for each application)
Public surveys, engineering surveys, etc.
Crop-dusting, etc.
Technology Development toward Level 3
Technology Development toward Level 4
Ground Safety Ensuring self-diagnosis, fault tolerance, redundancy, safe emergency landing, etc.
Ensuring of safety characteristics (reliability, redundancy, etc.) similar to those of manned aircraft
Flight Performance Improvements in speed, accuracy, endurance, energy efficiency, payload, controllability, etc.
Further improvement of Flight Performance (autonomous, stability, non- GPS-based flight, etc.)
Weather Resistance Improvements in resistance to steady-state winds, temperatures, etc.
Improvement of resistance to weather fluctuations
Further technological development
Security Improvements in resistance to hijacking, interception and jamming of communications
Further improvement of security
Establishment of early UTM consistent with foreign countries’ systems and development of UAVs controlled by the system
Collision
Avoidance
DAA　Detect and avoid aircraft, objects, etc.
Collision avoidance through sharing of flight information between manned and unmanned aircraft (early UTM, signal reception), simulation system
UTM Further development (flight control for UAVs)
Environmental Improvement toward Level 3
(Development of authentication method)
Environmental Improvement toward Level 4
Verification of adequate safety to allow UAVs to fly beyond visual line of sight and over populated areas
Improvement of flight information sharing system
Operation of the system
Improvement and Operation of UTM (Traffic management of UAVs flying above less-populated areas)
Further improvement and operation of UTM
（Safe and efficient operation of flight control system）
Considering flight rules for UAVs under control of UTM
Development of UAV performance measures for Level 3 and authentication
Development and authentication for Level 4
Members of the Conference
Private sector members
Public sector members
Amazon.com, Inc.
IoT Acceleration Consortium
Japan Radio Control Safety Association
Japan Association of New Economy
All Japan Security Service Association
All Japan Air Transport and Service Association
Japan AD. contents production companies association
Japan Business Federation
The Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies
The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association
The General Insurance Association of Japan
Japan Multi-copter Safety Association
The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association
Japan UAS Industrial Development Association
Aerosense Inc.
Japan Aircraft Pilot Association.
Association of Air Transport Engineering & Research
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization
Electronic Navigation Research Institute
National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention
Council on Competitiveness-Nippon
DJI JAPAN Inc.
The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan
Japan UAV Association
Association of Precise Survey and Applied Technology
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
Japan Model Aeronautics Federation
Japan Radio Control Model Industrial Association
Parrot SA
East Japan Railway Company
Mini-surveyor Consortium
Cabinet Secretariat
Cabinet Office
National Police Agency
Consumer Affairs Agency
Ministry of Internal Affaire and Communications
Fire and Disaster Management Agency
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
* Full version of this roadmap is available on the following link. (Japanese Only)

2. UAS Flight Operations Levels
In the Roadmap for the Application and Technology Development of UAVs in Japan (28th Apr The Public-Private Sector Conference on Improving the Environment for UAVs), four levels of UAS flight operations were defined as shown below.
Populated
Areas
(including urban areas)
Less-Populated Areas
（remote islands, mountainous areas, etc.)
Visual Line of Sight
(VLOS)
Beyond Visual Line of Sight
(BVLOS)
Level 1
Level 2
Level 4
BVLOS Flight over populated areas (including urban areas)
Level 3
VLOS
VLOS
(Remotely Piloted)
BVLOS Flight over less-populated areas (remote islands, mountainous areas, etc.)
Roadmap for the Application and Technology Development of UAVs in Japan (28th Apr The Public-Private Sector Conference on Improving the Environment for UAVs)