今日のボヤキ 2/11
今日のボヤキはテクノロジーで地域と都市間での暮らしの格差を是正、減少させるものです。少し前に流行したドローンを駆使した技術開発が各企業で進んでおり、KDDIでは地域社会への貢献も含めたドローンの活用に注力されています。
https://tobira.kddi.com/society/article00016/
近年、生産年齢人口の減少や少子高齢化、さらには生産人口の都市集中といった流れの中で、地域の過疎化・高齢化が進行しています。総務省の調べによると、過疎地域に区分される市町村は、2021年時点で全国市町村の約半数（47.7％）にあたる820市町村に及んでいます。それに、トラックドライバー不足もあいまって、中山間地域では食料品などの生活必需品の入手も困難な「買い物弱者」も増加しつつあります。
こうした社会課題を解決し、地域の暮らしを守り快適にする一手として期待を集めているのが「ドローン」です。過疎化が進む中山間地域や島しょ地域への「物流」のみならず、「測量」「点検」「監視」など応用の幅は多岐にわたります。
特に「物流」においては、過疎地域での日用品の配達や災害時における物資配送などを効率化・合理化するソリューションとして自治体での実証実験が各地で進められています。一方で、ドローン配送に関する法整備も進展し、2022年12月にはレベル4（有人地帯・市街地での目視外飛行）が可能となり、ドローン配送は実証実験のフェーズから実用化の段階へと急速にシフトしています。
エアロネクストは日本発の物流専用ドローン「AirTruck」をACSLと共同開発し、量産化を成功させた注目の企業です。同社とKDDIスマートドローンは2023年3月までに14以上の自治体でドローン配送の実証実験を行い、将来的には500自治体にドローンを使った配送サービスを普及させる計画です。
これによりKDDIスマートドローンは、過疎地域が直面している物流や災害時の配送の問題を抜本的に解決するとともに、地域の暮らしの快適さを守り、過疎化の問題そのものの解決に挑戦しています。
スーパー等が行う移動販売もないような地域では買い物に行くのが困難を極めます。例えば、高齢の方であったり何かケガなどで思うように動けないという人には遠く離れたところまで自力で買いに行かなければ行けないのは苦痛でしかありません。また、災害時には中山間部では土砂崩れや水害などで陸地では救助や救援が出来ない場合が多くあります。そのような事態にも人的被害を最小限に抑えられるドローンの技術への需要はこれからさらに伸びていくのではないでしょうか。
English edition
Today's blurbs 2/11
Today's blurbs are about using technology to correct and reduce the disparity in living conditions between regions and cities. Companies are developing technologies that make full use of drones, which became popular not long ago, and KDDI is focusing on the use of drones, including their contribution to local communities.
https://tobira.kddi.com/society/article00016/
In recent years, depopulation and aging of the local population have been progressing amid a decline in the working-age population, an aging population with fewer children, and the concentration of the working population in urban areas. According to a survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 820 cities, towns, and villages, or about half (47.7%) of all cities, towns, and villages in Japan, will be classified as depopulated areas by 2021. Combined with a shortage of truck drivers, the number of "vulnerable shoppers" who have difficulty obtaining food and other daily necessities in mountainous areas is increasing.
Drones are expected to be a solution to these social problems and to help protect and make life more comfortable in these areas. Drones can be used not only for logistics to depopulated mountainous and island areas, but also for surveying, inspection, monitoring, and a wide range of other applications.
In the area of logistics, in particular, local governments are conducting demonstration experiments in various regions as a solution for streamlining and improving the efficiency of deliveries of daily necessities in depopulated areas and the delivery of goods in times of disaster. At the same time, laws concerning drone delivery are being developed, and by December 2022, Level 4 (unobserved flights in manned areas and urban areas) will become possible, rapidly shifting drone delivery from the demonstration experiment phase to the practical application phase.
Aeronext is a high-profile company that jointly developed with ACSL the "AirTruck," Japan's first dedicated logistics drone, and has successfully mass-produced it. The company and KDDI SmartDrone plan to conduct drone delivery demonstration tests in more than 14 municipalities by March 2023, and to spread drone-based delivery services to 500 municipalities in the future.
In this way, KDDI SmartDrone is taking on the challenge of fundamentally solving the logistics and disaster delivery problems faced by depopulated areas, as well as protecting the comfort of local lifestyles and solving the problem of depopulation itself.
In areas where there are no mobile sales services provided by supermarkets, etc., it is extremely difficult to go shopping. For example, it is a pain for elderly people or people who cannot move around as much as they would like due to injury or other reasons to have to go far away by themselves to buy groceries. In addition, in the event of a disaster, rescue and relief efforts are often not possible on land due to landslides or flooding in mountainous areas. Demand for drone technology that can minimize human casualties in such situations is likely to grow further in the future.
