ANA HOLDINGS, Wingtra Sign Agreement to Explore Drone-Based Surveying and Inspection Services

ANA HOLDINGS has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Swiss drone manufacturer Wingtra to explore wide-area surveying and inspection services in Japan. The collaboration focuses on Wingtra’s WingtraRAY VTOL fixed-wing drone, which can cover large areas quickly and deliver high-precision data.

Technology:
WingtraRAY drone offers vertical take-off and landing with fixed-wing efficiency, enabling surveys of up to 150 hectares in a 30-minute flight—far beyond conventional rotary drones.

Applications:
Infrastructure inspections, erosion control monitoring, and rapid disaster damage assessments.

Demonstration:
At Mount Unzen-Fugen in Nagasaki, the drone detected minute cracks and structural deformations, validating its precision.

Strategic Goal:
Supports ANA’s medium-term plan (FY2026–2028) to launch commercial drone services by 2027.

Safety & Certification:
ANA aims to leverage its aviation expertise to help Wingtra achieve Japan’s “Class 1 Type Certification” for unmanned aircraft, paving the way for advanced Level 4 BVLOS operations (flights beyond visual line of sight over populated areas).

Future Plans:
ANA is considering becoming a domestic sales agent for WingtraRAY, while also building a support system for deployment, pilot training, and maintenance.

Executives from both companies emphasized that combining ANA’s safety and operational excellence with Wingtra’s innovation will accelerate industrial drone adoption in Japan, particularly for infrastructure monitoring and disaster response.