News Release
Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance Inc., Sompo Risk Management & Health Care Inc., Kogakuin University, Rikei Corporation, and Shinjuku City (Team Shinjuku), all members of the Council for Measures to Reduce Disaster Risks in the Shinjuku Station Area, have jointly continuously developed and implemented guiding stranded people under disaster conditions using unmanned small aircrafts (Drones) in the Shinjuku West Exit area, one of Japanʼs most prominent densely populated areas that have many skyscrapers. The second phase of the test with the aim of verifying effectiveness and issues to be addressed is planned to be conducted on Dec. 12, 2017.
＜Background and aim of the test＞
Since 2007, the Council for Measures to Reduce Disaster Risks in the Shinjuku Station Area has continuously worked to carry out locally concerted drills mainly for massive earthquakes and increase the disaster risk reduction (DRR) literacy of local residents. Through these activities, how to collect information immediately after the occurrence of a disaster, communicate relevant information for seamless guidance, and ensure that information was provided by and shared among major sites seamlessly emerged as a principal issue to be addressed.
Against this backdrop, in order to resolve this issue, Team Shinjuku conducted the first phase of the test in Feb. 2017 to verify the effectiveness of using Drones by bringing together the technology, knowledge, and resources it had accumulated and utilized in daily business operations.
On the basis of the results of the first phase of the test, Team Shinjuku will conduct information sharing and voice transmission of evacuation guidance at the local headquarters sited on real time video obtained by Drone, quantitative evaluation of information transmission capability, redundant of communication means, as well as basic data collection for real time analysis. Also, Team Shinjuku will have the public participate as evacuees in evacuation guidance test and voice transmission test.
＜Overview of the test＞
●Time, venue, etc.
Dec. 12, 2017, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Shinjuku Central Park, Kogakuin University, and the Shinjuku City office
*Please apply in advance for news gathering because the schedule is subject to change due to weather condition.
●Matters to be tested
Drones will be flown at the Shinjuku Central Park and will shoot data. The shot data will be analyzed at Kogakuin University that about 550m away from the park, and provide information sited on that result of the analysis by voice. The video and other data taken by Drone will be shared at any of 3 venues.
- Information sharing among the sites utilizing real-time video communication technology
- Information gathering using Drones at remote site
- Communication of information from remote site to stranded people
● Activity resources
Usually, the member companies of Team Shinjuku bring the majority of resources (such as personnel, equipment and materials, and funding) required for their activities. Part of the research funds for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technologyʼs Private University Research Branding Project (Type A: Research Center for Society) in which Kogakuin Universityʼs application was accepted in 2016 will be used for these tests.
●Implementation structure
Members of Team Shinjuku: Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance Inc., Sompo Risk Management & Health Care Inc., Kogakuin University, Rikei Corporation, and Shinjuku City * For details, please refer to the next page “Reference.”
Cooperative bodies: Council for Measures to Reduce Disaster Risks in the Shinjuku Station Area, NSi Moka Co., Ltd., IBEX Technology Co., Ltd., and Nitto Telecommunications Co., Ltd., V-cube Robotics, Inc., Parks and Recreation Foundation, System5 Co., Ltd., NEC Corporation
●Responsibilities of each member in the test
| Name | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance Inc. | ･Planning and implementing this test and verifying its effectiveness
･Providing Drones and other necessary equipment and materials as well as personnel to operate the equipment |
| Sompo Risk Management &
Health Care Inc. |
･Supporting planning and implementing this test and verifying its effectiveness
･Coordinating with the Council for Measures to Reduce Disaster Risks in the Shinjuku Station Area |
| Kogakuin University | ･Providing technical advice as the local communityʼs expert
･Providing advice on planning and implementing the test and verifying its effectiveness from the standpoint of a business operator in the Shinjuku Station Area ･Providing wireless communication equipment and other necessary equipment and materials as well as personnel to operate the equipment ･Development of analysis method of obtained visual data in cooperation with NEC Corporation |
| Rikei Corporation | ･Providing wireless infrastructure equipment to distribute visual data obtained by Drones
･Providing products and operation personnel in cooperation with its partner companies Nitto Telecommunications and IBEX Technology |
| Shinjuku City
|
･Giving advice on planning and implementing the test and verifying its effectiveness from the standpoint of a municipality that has jurisdiction over Shinjuku Station and its vicinities
･Providing a place to fly Drones and coordinating with the designated administrator ･Serving as a secretariat for the Council for Measures to Reduce Disaster Risks in the Shinjuku Station Area ･Provision of test place and materials in cooperation with Parks and Recreation Foundation |
| Council for Measures to Reduce Disaster Risks in the Shinjuku Station Area | ・Giving advice on planning and implementing the test and verifying its effectiveness from the standpoint of a business operator in the Shinjuku Station area |
| NSi Moka Co., Ltd.
|
・Manufacture and maintenance of Drone, and Construction of mountable/non-mountable LTE image distribution system
・ Construction of Drone UTM operation management system and development of autonomous flight software |
| V-cube Robotics, Inc.
|
・Develop and provide real-time video communication technology with high affinity with Drone
|
[Reference]
About the Council for Measures to Reduce Disaster Risks in the Shinjuku Station Area
Under the leadership of entities located around Shinjuku Station, the Council was established in 2002 as Shinjuku Cityʼs body to promote measures to deal with people having difficulty returning home under disaster conditions. The public and private sectors are working together to take measures to prevent confusion around the station. The Council has conducted Japanʼs first drills for preventing confusion around a terminal station and laid down a set of local rules known as the “Shinjuku Rules.” In 2009, it was reorganized as the Council for Measures to Reduce Disaster Risks in the Shinjuku Station Area in order to discuss a wider range of issues, including DRR town development around Shinjuku Station. Currently, it has some 70 business operators, associations, and the like as its members.