[Career up to 150m in the sky -Ask the predecessors of robotics] Vol.06 I want to embody the ideal life by being useful in the drone industry | DRONE

Focusing on the careers of players who are active and active in the Drone Robotics industry, a series column introducing that person and values, etc.Interview with Kenichi Yoda, representative of D Academy Co., Ltd.

He also asked him, who is also a leader in the bridge inspection method using drones, Kimitsu Model, and his thoughts on the drone industry and the role that the drone school should play, as self -navigation technology such as SkydioJ2 has evolved.

Let's do the best in Japan

I like electricity for 40 years of radio control.He joined Matsushita as a new graduate.However, he turned into a raw concrete industry at the same time as his marriage.He has been in the world of architecture and civil engineering since his twenties.She was a condition for her marriage to take over a company that handles raw concrete businesses, so she jumped into her inexperienced world by kicking a chance to transfer to New York.Yoda laughed, saying, "I was young at the time," and said the concept of his management.

It was a relatively small company in the raw conjun industry called Mitsuichi Yoda.But I decided to do the first thing in Japan.I think that's the case, but everyone likes it, even if you say something.I'm glad if you praise it.So, I thought that whatever I could do, I could contribute to the working motivation by doing the first thing in Japan every year.

From the name of the company's name of Sakuragaoka Concrete and the image of the female president, he ran a pink mixer car that is rare in the industry and supported the success of a female driver.

For the first time in various initiatives, the first mixer car was equipped with GPS to manage dynamics.In the industry that is often ridiculed as "buckwheat shop," I thought it was dishonest for customers.At that time, there was no raw conjun industry to respond.

When he told the accurate location information of the vehicle to the customer inquiry, he shouted, "Are you visible?"However, a few minutes later, a mixer car arrived at the site as announced.He was surprised, "It's amazing, you."A major company from all over the country also visited the motion management system of a mixer vehicle.

The only condition for the company to survive is the ability to adapt to changes in the times.This is not the word I thought about from Darwin's theory of evolution, but I have been running for a long time, and I think so.

Why can't I change my idea?

It was in 2013 that the business was transferred and retired in the business inheritance issue.He was released from the heavy responsibility of management.There was a feeling that I had done it, and it was just around the time the Tokyo Olympics were decided, and the mixer cars that owned 30 were sold at high prices in the used car market.

No, I played.For golf on a trip.But I got tired of it in a year.

Therefore, he combines his specialty and his experience so far to start a drone.He thought, "I hope what I've done so far can contribute to the role of the drone industry."

I have been doing radio control since the third grade of elementary school, and since I was doing a raw concrete business at work, I can understand some concrete and structures.Therefore, I thought it would be possible if the drone was equipped with an infrared camera and a structural diagnosis and surveying with a single -lens reflex camera.

An unforgettable "incident" occurs when the drone business started in earnest.This is the time when we participated in a national convention hosted by Japan's first Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Tohoku Regional Development Bureau, Japan's first Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, called “2015EE Tohoku UAV Surveying Competition”, which competes for drone surveying techniques held at the event “EE Tohoku”.。

State of "EE Tohoku" participation

The tournament was conducted in a narrow place in a gymnasium that could not be obtained from GPS.In that case, I suggested that DJI's Inspire 1 would be good.He said, "I want to know why this aircraft cannot surveys, why couldn't I actually do it as a result?"

At that time, surveying with a large drone equipped with a luxury SLR was common, and it was common sense in the surveying industry.It was common sense that it was not possible to surveys with small and general -purpose aircraft like today, but Mr. Yoda won the result.The survey accuracy was higher than anyone.It was the moment I overturned the common sense that "survey is a large -scale luxury SLR camera."

This composition is the "Kimitsu Model", a bridge inspection by a drone, which is proceeding with Kimitsu City, Chiba Prefecture.It removed the common sense that "bridge inspection is not possible unless it is a large aircraft", and the action camera is fixed at the top of the commercially available aerial drone, making it possible to shoot the floor plate.

"Kimitsu Model" Inspection at Bridge Inspection/Dorone used in the "Kimitsu Model" bridge inspection

Large, expensive and high -performance drones are disproportionate to inspection of a living bridge, which accounts for 70 % of the total, with many small local governments holding their heads.Even if the accuracy is slightly inferior, if you can check at a level where you can judge the priority of repair, you can achieve a visual inspection equivalent even in places where you can not apply a scaffold and even if you can enter the bridge point.

If you think about the method with the elimination method to solve the task, it will naturally be the case.If you look at it, it may be said that anyone can come up with it, and there is no special skill, but no one has done this simple.why?Because you are trapped in common sense.Isn't the Japanese -style idea of product out hindering the change in ideas.

I want to stick to the "purpose" of the school

D at the D Academy Alliance School, all member schools are "flat" and equal.

Now that Mr. Yoda is 57 years old, it is "not too much to work, play is important", "something is the best in the drone industry" and "the drone industry." "Thing.

Profit is that if the other person makes a profit first, the profit will always come to the end.

Seriously, the industry can develop the industry and the effectiveness of drones, as a result, contributes to safety, time saving, and cost reductions, and everyone can become Win and Win.With this in mind, the D Academy has a style of operating "Alliance".D -Academy, which Yoda started to set up a school specializing in construction and infrastructure and want to return his knowledge, is currently expanding to 14 schools nationwide, but all are allocation, not franchise.

If you run a drone school to make money, you will definitely make a franchise more profitable.But please think about it.In order to pay a few million yen paid in a franchise, how many students can attract students a month and make a profit, and the purpose of the drone school eventually changes.I really don't want to be a business out of the philosophy of producing people who can work properly in the drone industry.

Since the construction site has a budget, it has been specialized in construction and infrastructure instead of aerial photography early, so graduates will be active at the forefront of surveying and infrastructure inspection.There are personal connections that cannot be bought with money.Because it is an alliance, it is also smooth for D -Academy membership schools to support information sharing.

"Even beginners can have the opportunity to debut on -site due to the connection with graduates," and "because women are more precise and patient, drone surveying control and analysis are suitable for women.When I heard Yoda's real voice, "I welcome the atmosphere because the atmosphere changes, I just expected to expand the scale of D Academy, but after all, in order not to destroy the current" ideal school operation ".It seems that he will continue "quietly" without any flashy advertising or discount battle.

What is required for future schools

At the inspection site, in order to use multiple aircraft, such as SkydioJ2 and M300, the D Academy is educated using various aircraft.

Including Skydioj2, which is now notable, the autonomous service of the drone is now developing remarkably.How will the skills required by operators change in the future?

Skydioj2 does not control exactly.Just enlarge the part you want to check in the inspection on the screen.The camera equipped with six in total for a total of six tops up and down is not for collision prevention, but for creating an environment map, calculating the raving route and judging whether or not you can fly, so DJI's "do not collide.It is completely different from a "flying" drone.On -site operators require skills to understand the characteristics of various aircraft according to the environment on the site.

For example, Skydioj2 is determined, controlled, and flies even in a narrow place by autonomous navigation.Because the camera tilts 90 degrees up, it is good to shoot upwards such as floor plates, but of course there are also drawbacks.If even one drop on the SLAM camera, it will not be able to get an environmental data and it will land safely on the spot.The Japanese specification J2 will automatically fly by judging that it can be navigated if there is a width of 50 cm or more in all directions in principle, but it is not absolute.Be careful as the risk of collisions is high in places where gusts are blowing.

Drone is a tool and one of the means.The right person in the right place is important.It is an era where a series of advisors and support that match the optimal aircraft, software, operation methods, and the purpose and purpose are required.

In the future, Mr. Yoda is required to teach which aircraft can do what the aircraft can do, rather than simply teaching the pilot, but to teach which aircraft can do what can be done, and to teach the criteria and risk management for safe use.That's an idea.

Speaking of the inspection field, there are bridges, tunnels, roads, and various categories.Even if one bridge inspection is taken, the task is subdivided at the work level, each has its own aircraft, and there may be cases where a selfie stick is absolutely necessary to be a drone.Regarding construction and infrastructure drone schools, I think that a school that can hone the skills for the clear purpose, the characteristics of the equipment, and the skills for safe operation will survive.

The aim is cool grandpa

In the raw cones, it worked, earned, and made goods.He not only managed to run the company as a son -in -law, but also started his own business.In a sense, Yoda said that his childhood dreams were all realized.The next question is "life."

About 10 years old, about 70 years old, I can just say, "I'm doing the bridge with a drone now, I'm doing it for granted, that's what my grandpa thought."Is it?

By the way, Mr. Yoda volunteers also volunteered in a project for monitoring and water rescue, which is provided by Flying Beach Guardians at Katase Nishihama and Kugenuma Beach in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture.There is.Yoda says, "In case of emergency, you will face the death of a person.

I think that the 50s, who have improved their management and business skills and contribute to the industry without difficulty in balance between business continuity and self -fulfillment, are already cool, but for Yoda in his 60s and 70s, who has become even cooler, someday.I want to hear the story.At that time, drones may fly in the sky for granted, and it may be that the times when everyone uses on a daily basis.