BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 8. ITOCHU Corporation
has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PASCO
Corporation and YellowScan Japan Co., Ltd. to promote the practical
use of fixed-wing drones in aerial surveying, Trend reports via the
ITOCHU Corporation.
The partnership aims to install YellowScan Japan’s Voyager UAV
laser scanner on the Wingcopter 198 (W198), a fixed-wing eVTOL
drone developed by Germany-based Wingcopter GmbH. The drone, in
which ITOCHU holds a capital and business stake, can take off,
land, and hover vertically like a multi-copter while flying longer
distances and covering wider areas.
Surveying is critical for disaster management, including hazard
mapping, ground deformation monitoring, damage assessment, and
post-disaster recovery planning. Japan’s mountainous terrain, which
covers around 70% of the country, has historically posed challenges
for conventional human or aircraft surveys.
The collaboration is expected to enable long-range, wide-area
aerial surveys previously achievable only with helicopters or
crewed aircraft, while automating operations and reducing labor
requirements. The partners said the initiative could contribute to
the sustainable growth of the surveying industry and help minimize
disaster risks.
PASCO brings expertise in safe, high-quality aerial surveying
operations, while YellowScan Japan supplies the world-class laser
scanning technology.
