Reuters is reporting that Japan is hopeful of finalizing its plans for drone package deliver by June 9th of this year The goal is to have drones delivering packages in Japan by 2020 followed self driving trucks in 2022.
“The priorities are improving life expectancy, revolutionising transport, modernising supply chains, improving infrastructure and using financial technology,” said one of the sources. The government plans to temporarily ease regulations for some firms, the sources said, using what is known as a regulatory sandbox to allow companies to test new technologies right away, free of the burden normally imposed by regulation. The move to drones and autonomous vehicles is urgent for Japan, because its workforce has shrunk dramatically enough to force companies to start scaling back operations.
A separate document obtained by Reuters shows the government’s annual growth strategy due on Friday will keep up policies Prime Minister Shinzo Abe introduced last year to narrow the wealth gap, improve working conditions and boost productivity. The government will study a plan for free schooling for some low-income households, but has delayed a decision on funding it until later this year, the document showed.
You can read the article here.
Frank Schroth is editor in chief of DroneLife, the authoritative source for news and analysis on the drone industry: it’s people, products, trends, and events.
Email Frank
TWITTER:@fschroth