Japanese media outlet Nikkei reported, citing sources, that Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) will suspend the use of mainland-made unmanned aircraft in line with the Japanese government’s efforts to avoid potential cybersecurity risks.
The sources said NTT has started producing its own drones and set up a subsidiary in December last year that is making them for its own use and even selling them to inspect telecommunications cables, bridges and other facilities. By the end of March this year, about 150 drones had been sold, and the goal is to be able to sell 2,000 drones by fiscal year 2023.
In addition, Kyushu Electric Power Co. is considering replacing mainland DJI products with Japanese-made drones in response to safety risks. DJI said the company has focused on message security, with all customers having control over data collection, storage and delivery.
DJI has a global market share of about 70%, with 77% in the U.S., and is sweeping the U.S. public sector. A survey by Bard College shows that all U.S. state governments are using drones, and up to 90% of them are DJI products, with military, police, fire and other security units being the main users. However, at the end of last year, the United States was included in the “entity list” (entity list) blacklist.
According to the new procurement guidelines effective this fiscal year, Japanese government agencies will replace drones that pose a significant cybersecurity risk. The guidelines apply to drones used for infrastructure inspections in addition to national security purposes.
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