JUIDA Highlights Six Innovative Drone Solutions for Bear Management in Japan
The Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA) has introduced a Bear Mitigation Technology Showcase, which emphasizes drone-based solutions for bear-related incidents. This initiative comes in response to a notable increase in bear sightings and attacks across Japan, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced surveillance, deterrence, and habitat mapping tools. The showcase features contributions from six member organizations and aims to assist municipalities, community groups, researchers, and companies in developing effective bear response strategies.
Surveillance, Detection, and AI Tracking
Island Biyori Co., Ltd. has implemented a multi-tier system of autonomous drones designed for bear damage prevention. Their approach includes small drones for rapid response, medium drones for deterrence, and large drones for comprehensive area management. The use of thermal imaging and high-precision positioning technology facilitates early detection of bears, particularly during nighttime.
3eye Bird Co., Ltd. has developed AI-powered drones capable of automatically detecting and tracking bears. These drones are equipped with night vision and infrared cameras, allowing them to operate for up to one hour. They can transfer tracking duties to a backup drone before their batteries run out, with real-time GPS data sent to government offices, police, and hunting associations via a dedicated application. The drones also feature onboard speakers to issue warnings to local residents. The company is targeting a commercial rollout in 2026 and has filed for a patent.
Deterrence and Boundary Defense
Terra Drone Corporation is working on drones equipped with bear-repellent spray, a project initially announced for winter 2025. These drones are designed for use by non-specialist operators, enabling community members to respond swiftly to bear encounters. The company is also developing longer-endurance models that include infrared cameras for disaster response scenarios.
Prodrone Co., Ltd. is leading the Bear Boundary Defense Project in collaboration with GEEP Forest and Visual Systems. This initiative utilizes UAV LiDAR technology to create high-density hazard maps of forest areas. Autonomous patrol drones are employed to monitor defense perimeters, equipped with infrared detection, sound and light warnings, and repellent spray. A test conducted in January 2026 successfully identified a deer from a distance of 1.5 meters using point cloud data.
Public Sector and Legal Support
Fukui Prefecture has begun deploying infrared drones along with skilled operators to assist municipalities in bear response efforts. This service aims to minimize risks for personnel and hunting teams operating in dense brush and built environments. Additionally, LegaLite Administrative Solicitor Corporation is providing support for area-based Level 3.5 flight applications and facilitating agreements for drone usage between local governments and private operators.
Further information regarding these initiatives can be found through JUIDA.