Kyuden Droneservice Company

What Kyuden Droneservice Company does

Kyuden Droneservice Company (QDS / 九電ドローンサービス) is a Fukuoka-headquartered, wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyushu Electric Power Company, established on April 1, 2024 to commercialize the internal drone and robotics capabilities the parent developed for power infrastructure inspection. The company provides B2B drone-based inspection, surveying, aerial photography, agricultural/forestry, and pilot training services to enterprise customers spanning infrastructure operators, construction and engineering consultants, transportation companies, government municipalities, manufacturers, and real estate developers. As of October 1, 2025, QDS employs 37 Class 2 Unmanned Aircraft Pilot license holders with aviation-law permissions for restricted-airspace operations. Day-to-day operations run from a Fukuoka City headquarters (Watanabe-dori, Chuo-ku) with two academy/training venues in Fukuoka City (Matsuyama, Johanku) and Kawara Town, and reach nationwide through exhibitions in Tokyo, Sendai, and Kyushu.

The technical portfolio centers on specialized drone platforms addressing inspection scenarios inaccessible to conventional methods. Core assets include the ELIOS3 spherical drone (Flyability, Switzerland) with a 3D mapping LiDAR sensor and SLAM-based centimeter-accuracy positioning for non-GPS indoor environments; the IBIS2 narrow-space inspection drone (Liberaware); Skydio X10 with Skydio Dock for autonomous, scheduled patrol missions; and supporting platforms including FLYCART30 for heavy-lift material transport and Trinity Pro/IBIS-class drones. AI capability is concentrated in the 枯れ木検知AIサービス (Dead Tree Detection AI Service) developed jointly with OPTiM Corporation, which combines drone-mounted multispectral imagery and NDVI analysis with OPTiM's AI Inspection for Infra platform for vegetation-risk diagnostics along roads and rail corridors. QDS also leverages three patents held by Kyushu Electric Power Group: drone automatic flight setting (Patent 6902763), drone visible area display (Patent 7270199), and drone operator position search (Patent 7270198). Complementary offerings include thermography, 4K/12K photogrammetry, laser surveying, 360° VR panoramas, live aerial streaming, agricultural spraying, and UGV/AGV ground robot services.

Revenue is generated primarily through professional services billed per project or contract (inspection, surveying, aerial photography, agriculture/forestry, cave/environmental survey), supplemented by hardware sales of ELIOS3, IBIS2, Skydio 2+, and Skydio X10, and the Kyuden Drone Academy pilot training program (Basic Course ¥335,500 tax-included). Go-to-market relies on direct enterprise sales via website inquiry and phone (092-981-0808), augmented by an active trade-show circuit (Maintenance Resilience Tokyo 2026, Kyushu Infrastructure Maintenance Expo 2026, EE Tohoku '26). Distribution is exclusively direct with no disclosed reseller network. Marketing channels emphasize technical blog content, a YouTube channel (KyudenDroneService), and PR around new partnerships and project wins. Pricing for inspection services is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

Name

Kyuden Droneservice Company

Legal name

九電ドローンサービス株式会社 (Kyuden Droneservice Company,Limited)

Website

https://kyuden-drone.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kyuden Droneservice Company is a Fukuoka-based subsidiary of Kyushu Electric Power Company providing B2B drone inspection, surveying, and aerial photography services to Japanese infrastructure operators and construction firms, with specialization in non-GPS indoor environments and AI-powered dead tree detection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drone Inspection and Surveying Services

akta.pro primary industry

Aerial Surveying & Crop Scouting (Imaging, Mapping, Stand Counts) (AFACAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Drone/UAS Application Services (Spraying, Spreading, Seeding) (AFACAIAB), Aerial Pesticide/Herbicide/Fungicide Application (AFACAIAE)

Keywords

• Drone inspection services
• Aerial surveying
• Infrastructure inspection
• Drone pilot training
• AI image analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Fukuoka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Drone Inspection Services: Professional drone inspection services for infrastructure including narrow/dark spaces, underwater inspections, bridge/tower inspections, thermography, and wide-area inspections. Services are priced per project or contract basis.
2. Surveying Services: Drone-based surveying services including photogrammetry (4K/12K) and laser surveying for terrain mapping, 3D models, and ortho images.
3. Aerial Photography Services: Video and still image capture services for construction records, promotional videos, 360-degree panorama VR, and live aerial streaming.
4. Agriculture and Forestry Services: Agricultural pesticide spraying, farmland/crop surveys, and forest resource visualization using drone technology.
5. Drone Sales: Sale of drone aircraft including IBIS2, Skydio 2+, Skydio X10, and ELIOS3 models along with associated equipment.
6. Drone Academy Training: Training courses for drone pilot certification (二等無人航空機操縦士) with various course packages from basic to advanced levels, including online theory and practical training sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kyuden Droneservice Company provides commercial drone-based inspection, surveying, aerial photography, and agriculture/forestry services to enterprise customers across Japan. The company employs specialized drone platforms including the ELIOS3 spherical drone for non-GPS indoor environments and the Skydio X10 autonomous patrol system, and offers an AI-powered Dead Tree Detection service combining multispectral imagery with NDVI analysis. In addition to project-based services, the company sells drone platforms directly and operates the Kyuden Drone Academy for pilot certification training.

Product overview

Kyuden Droneservice Company operates as a comprehensive drone service provider offering inspection, surveying, aerial photography, and agricultural services. The portfolio includes core service categories (点検/Inspection, 測量/Surveying, 空撮/Aerial Photography, 農業・林業/Agriculture & Forestry, 現場支援/Field Support, 機体販売/Drone Sales) and education (九電ドローンアカデミー). Key specialty products include ELIOS3 (Flyability spherical drone with 3D LiDAR for indoor/GPS-denied environments), IBIS2 (Liberaware narrow-space inspection drone), and Skydio X10 (autonomous patrol drone). AI-powered services include枯れ木検知AI for dead tree detection. The company also provides ground robot services (UGV/AGV) for vegetation management and material transport using FLYCART30. Founded April 2024, based in Fukuoka City, Kyushu, Japan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 九電ドローンアカデミー (Kyuden Drone Academy): Drone pilot training school providing national certification courses for unmanned aircraft operator certification.

Products and services

• Drone Inspection Services (点検サービス) Comprehensive drone inspection services covering narrow and dark spaces, underwater inspections, bridges and towers, 4K/12K photography, automated patrol, thermography, and wide-area inspection applications for enterprise infrastructure customers.
• Drone Surveying Services (測量サービス) Drone-based surveying services including 4K/12K photogrammetry and laser surveying for high-precision terrain mapping, 3D model creation, and ortho image generation for enterprise clients.
• Drone Aerial Photography Services (空撮サービス) Aerial photography and video services including 4K/12K shooting, 360-degree panorama VR content creation, live aerial streaming, video editing, and 3D modeling for construction records, promotional materials, and event coverage.
• Agriculture & Forestry Drone Services (農業・林業サービス) Agricultural and forestry drone services including pesticide spraying, farmland and crop surveys, and forest resource visualization to support efficient operations and address labor shortages.
• Drone Platform Sales (機体販売) Direct sale of professional drone platforms and related equipment, including ELIOS3 spherical indoor drones, IBIS2 narrow-space drones, Skydio 2+, and Skydio X10 autonomous patrol drones, to enterprise customers seeking to acquire drone technology.
• Kyuden Drone Academy (九電ドローンアカデミー) Drone pilot training academy offering Japan government-registered Class 2 Unmanned Aircraft Pilot certification courses with both classroom theory and practical flight training. Courses range from basic to advanced levels, with supplementary practical training available at hourly rates.
• Dead Tree Detection AI Service (枯れ木検知AIサービス) AI-powered automatic detection service for identifying dead and dry trees using drone-mounted multispectral cameras. Combines visible imagery and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) analysis with OPTiM's AI Inspection for Infra platform to detect dead tree candidates that are difficult to identify visually, supporting proactive tree fall risk prevention along roads and railways.
• Drone Material Transport (ドローン資機材運搬) Heavy-lift drone service using FLYCART30 platforms for transporting equipment and materials to remote or inaccessible locations in support of field operations.
• Robot Services (UGV/AGV) (ロボット活用サービス) Ground robot services using Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) for vegetation management, such as robotic grass cutting, and facility inspection applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced inspection time and cost compared to traditional scaffolding-based inspection methods

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OPTiM Corporation (株式会社オプティム)coreTechnology or Integration · 2 July 2026Co-development of AI-powered dead tree detection service. OPTiM provides AI analysis technology (OPTiM AI Inspection for Infra) integrated with QDS's drone-based multispectral image capture. Joint exhibition at Maintenance Resilience Tokyo 2026 International Drone Expo.
• Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (日本航空株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Three-year joint project starting June 2026 for cave exploration using drone technology at Akiyoshi-do cave in Mine City. JAL serves as project coordinator, connecting municipal and corporate needs for regional revitalization and DX promotion. QDS provides advanced drone technology for safe and efficient cave exploration in non-GPS environments.
• Mine City (山口県美祢市)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Collaboration as part of Mine City's local revitalization and regional tourism promotion DX initiative. The city provides access to Akiyoshi-do cave resources and promotes environmental conservation through drone-based surveys. Project aims to create new tourism content while preserving the cave environment.
• Liberaware Co., Ltd. (株式会社Liberaware)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026Joint exhibition at Kyushu Infrastructure Maintenance Expo 2026 showcasing IBIS2 narrow-space inspection drone technology. Combined exhibition presenting integrated solutions for sewer and confined-space inspection using IBIS2 drone combined with QDS operational expertise.
• Kyushu Electric Power Group (九電グループ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company group providing access to extensive infrastructure inspection experience, proprietary patents, and established trust in the Japanese infrastructure market. QDS was established in April 2024 as a spin-off from Kyushu Electric Power's internal drone and robot inspection operations.
• West Japan Railway Company (西日本旅客鉄道株式会社)minorOthersVerification partner for dead tree detection service on railway line vegetation. JR West, prioritizing railway safety, has been conducting verification of QDS's dead tree detection service since 2022 to improve efficiency of vegetation management along rail corridors.
• Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism - Nara National Highway Office (国土交通省 近畿地方整備局 奈良国道事務所)minorOthersClient for R7 disaster prevention inspection work on Meihan Expressway. QDS provided dead tree detection AI service as part of tree fall risk diagnosis project to shift from reactive to preventive road maintenance.
• Daietsu Co., Ltd. (株式会社ダイエツ)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJoint exhibition partner with QDS and Measurement Inspection Corporation (計測検査株式会社) at EE Tohoku '26 trade show in Sendai.
• Measurement Inspection Corporation (計測検査株式会社)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJoint exhibition partner with QDS and Daietsu at EE Tohoku '26 trade show in Sendai.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Asia Air Survey Co., Ltd. Established Japanese aerial surveying and consulting firm with photogrammetry, LiDAR, and infrastructure inspection operations nationwide; competes for the same high-precision mapping and 3D-modeling contracts that QDS pursues, but with greater scale and a broader service menu.
• Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd. Established Japanese geospatial and infrastructure-consulting firm with deep relationships in government/municipal procurement; competes for the same infrastructure-survey, disaster-response, and vegetation-management contracts QDS targets through ministries and national highway offices.
• Pasco Corporation: Major Japanese surveying and geospatial intelligence firm operating across photogrammetry, LiDAR, and infrastructure inspection; competes with QDS in photogrammetry/laser surveying and holds established positions with national infrastructure clients that QDS is trying to break into.

Emerging players

• ACSL Ltd. Japanese drone manufacturer offering its own aerial surveying and inspection-grade platforms plus related services; competes with QDS in the same mid-altitude survey and inspection RFPs and represents an alternative domestic supply option versus Flyability/Skydio.
• OPTiM Corporation: Japanese AI/IoT software vendor whose OPTiM AI Inspection for Infra platform is integrated into QDS's Dead Tree Detection service; an AI-driven inspection and asset-management competitor that could in-source or bypass QDS's drone-capture layer with its own fleet partnerships.

Direct peers

• Terra Drone Corporation: Japan-headquartered global drone services and surveying company that provides inspection, surveying, and aerial work across infrastructure, energy, and agriculture — the most direct head-to-head competitor to Kyuden Droneservice across inspection, mapping, and LiDAR-based asset surveys.
• Liberaware Co., Ltd. Japanese narrow-space drone developer and operator whose IBIS2 platform competes directly with QDS in sewer, confined-space, and dark-environment inspections; a formal exhibition partner with QDS but also a direct service competitor targeting the same infrastructure inspection RFPs.
• Rakuten Drone Inc. Rakuten Group's drone services subsidiary operating across logistics, surveying, and inspection in Japan — a direct peer for B2B enterprise inspection RFPs and material-transport engagements (QDS's FLYCART30 offering overlaps directly).

Others

• Skydio Inc. US-based autonomous drone manufacturer whose Skydio X10 plus Skydio Dock powers QDS's automated patrol inspection offering; an infrastructure supplier that is increasingly selling Dock-based autonomous inspection as a managed service — a potential direct competitor going forward.
• Flyability SA: Swiss developer of the ELIOS3 spherical drone that QDS purchases and operates for indoor/non-GPS inspections; a critical technology supplier that could vertically integrate or expand its Japanese partner channel into direct service, changing the competitive frame for narrow-space inspection.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/share?url=https://www.kyuden-drone.co.jp/blog/2024/10/elios3.html&text=%E3%80%90%E7%82%B9%E6%A4%9C%E6%8B%85%E5%BD%93%E8%80%85%E5%BF%85%E8%A6%8B%E3%80%91%E7%8B%AD%E3%81%8F%E3%81%A6%E6%9A%97%E3%81%84%E5%B1%8B%E5%86%85%E7%82%B9%E6%A4%9C%E3%81%A7%E5%A4%A7%E6%B4%BB%E8%BA%8D%E3%80%80%E7%89%B9%E6%AE%8A%E7%90%83%E4%BD%93%E3%83%89%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3%22ELIOS3%22%E3%81%AE%E6%B4%BB%E7%94%A8%E3%83%9D%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E3%82%92%E3%81%94%E7%B4%B9%E4%BB%8B
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KyudenDroneService
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.kyuden-drone.co.jp/blog/2024/10/elios3.html

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kyuden Droneservice Company