Japan’s ACSL drones to use Elsight Halo tech for BVLOS missions

Long distance connectivity tech specialist Elsight has established its first foothold in Japan’s developing UAV market through a partnership it announced with the country’s leading drone manufacturer, ACSL.

Israel-based Elsight said the deal involves ACSL drones being equipped with its Halo connectivity tech. The carrier-agnostic, AI-powered solution uses a variety of communications options to ensure reliable, unbroken contact with UAVs – an essential factor in burgeoning beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights that enterprise operators around the world hope to scale soon.

Elsight said that ACSL, “Japan’s largest drone manufacturer,” will use Halo tech to strengthen its drones’ LTE communications, especially around the nation’s many mountains. While the country’s regulators are looking to approve increased BVLOS operations, the many hills and mountains across the Japanese landscape make uninterrupted connectivity with craft a problem.

Whereas many alternative solutions rely mostly on one mode of transmission, Elsight’s Halo integrates LTE, 5G, and satellite communications in a tech specifically designed for BVLOS flights. Security is assured by breaking data into various packages, and sending those encoded bunches through different channels, making interception of one, or even a few of those useless. 

Elsight is pursuing the association with ACSL through its regional drone partner Navicom Aviation, whose president Koji Hiratsuka hailed the tie-up.

“The main challenge for drone large market adoption has been the hilly terrain in Japan,” he said. “Our partnership with Elsight has been an excellent technology and business fit with our region’s requirements. Seeing the success with ACSL is the sign of market acceptance of logistic applications from deliveries to first responders like in disaster management and recovery.” 

ACSL CEO Satoshi Washitani said the assured connectivity Elsight Halo tech provides its drones will open the company up to business across a range of sectors and enterprises keen to expand operation to BVLOS.

“Elsight’s products have a track record of being adopted in logistics drones in various countries, and we believe that by improving the quality of our logistics drones, we can expand the areas where drones can be used and contribute to promoting the social implementation of drones in the logistics field in Japan,” Washitani said. “We are very pleased to be able to collaborate with a partner with innovative technology to ensure the stability of the communication environment, which is one of the most important issues in the logistics field.”