This article published in collaboration with JUIDA, the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association.
Blue Innovation Co., Ltd. deployed drones for nighttime aerial imaging during a forest fire on Mount Ogi in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The company responded to a dispatch request from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Eastern Army, relayed through the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA).
Drone Disaster Response on Mount Ogi
The fire broke out on January 8, 2026, on Mount Ogi near Uenohara City. The blaze spread across steep, mountainous terrain and prompted evacuation orders for approximately 150 residents. Ground-based firefighting crews could not easily reach the site. Helicopters conducted aerial water drops during daylight hours.
Blue Innovation arrived on-site January 9, the same day it received the request. The company worked alongside the Uenohara Fire Department, local fire brigades, and police. The team conducted nighttime drone flights over the burn area to capture aerial footage when ground confirmation was not possible.
Nighttime Imaging and Disaster Mapping
The drone flights served two purposes. First, the team captured nighttime footage of the entire burn area to identify active fire points. Second, Blue Innovation plotted the GPS coordinates of confirmed fire points onto a disaster map. This visualized the spread of the fire and the overall damage situation.
Firefighting teams used the nighttime data as reference for helicopter operations the following day. The drone disaster response demonstrated how UAVs can fill critical information gaps during wildfire operations, especially in rugged terrain and low-visibility conditions.
Blue Innovation’s Drone Disaster Response Track Record
Blue Innovation develops the Blue Earth Platform (BEP), a device integration platform that remotely controls and manages multiple drones, robots, and sensors. The company previously deployed drones and drone ports following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, where it conducted bridge inspections and automated river monitoring of sediment dams under JUIDA coordination.
Blue Innovation stated it would refrain from commenting on the specific effects of its Mount Ogi support while firefighting operations remained ongoing.
Learn more about Blue Innovation. Learn more about JUIDA.
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