Terra Drone Corporation’s ground-breaking innovations captured attention at Queensland’s Myriad Festival, with founder and CEO Toru Tokushige outlining the company’s vision for growth in the Sunshine State.
Held at the Brisbane Powerhouse from March 29-31, the landmark tech and innovation event established for “creators, connectors and collaborators” attracted more than 2,000 attendees, with the support of the Queensland Government’s Advance Queensland initiative.
Japan’s leading unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) provider, Terra Drone demonstrated some of of its industry-leading UAVs and specialist LiDAR (light detection and ranging) capabilities at its display booth, which attracted a constant stream of visitors eager to interact and test Terra Drone’s technology first-hand.
Brisbane branch chief Tsuyoshi Honda along with Terra Drone Australia’s Jeremy Sofonia fielded a range of queries on the company’s technology and its benefits for Australia’s agricultural, construction and resource sectors.
Quest UAV
On display at the company’s booth were a range of UAV models, including QuestUAV’s Datahawk, a fixed wing drone offering high-grade data and accuracy. In January, Terra Drone formed a strategic alliance with the British manufacturer, including aircraft sales and development in Japan.
“Compared to competitive fixed-wing aircraft, QuestUAV’s drones offer superior performance of the onboard camera and aircraft stability, enabling more accurate surveying. In addition to providing a surveying service and airframe sales, we will undertake joint development to further improve the airframes,” Terra Drone’s founder and CEO Toru Tokushige said in announcing the tie-up.
‘Mega venture’
Speaking at the festival, Mr Tokushige outlined the company’s vision, its reasons for establishing a base in Queensland in early 2017 and its expansion plans.
“My original vision was to establish a ‘mega venture’ from Japan, bigger than Apple or Samsung,” he told a large audience.
“In one year, we became the number one drone company in Japan. So now, we would like to bring our solutions to the Australian market,” he explained.
“The Australian market is so important to us as there are so many applications here. In Japan there are mainly construction applications, but Australia has opportunities for applications in construction, mining, utilities, agriculture, and environmental areas,” he added.
Cost savings
Mr Tokushige explained how Terra Drone’s technology could provide both productivity and safety benefits for Australian industry.
“There are many surveyors still doing surveys the traditional way, which is very costly and takes time. By using a drone, you can dramatically reduce the time and cost. For example, 40 hectares would traditionally take two weeks, but our drone can do it in one day, while it also offers improved accuracy with a margin of less than 5 centimetres,” he said.
Terra Drone has already proven its capabilities at more than 300 sites in Japan, working with blue-chip clients including Hitachi, and aims to replicate its Japanese success across Australia.
He applauded the Queensland Government’s efforts to support technology start-ups like Terra Drone to drive innovation.
“Events like tonight highlight the fantastic work being done by the Queensland Government and further demonstrates its commitment to innovation and business growth throughout Queensland. I hope to see more innovative events like Myriad in the near future,” Mr Tokushige concluded.
Welcoming international companies to the festival, Queensland’s Innovation Minister, Leeanne Enoch, said the Palaszczuk Government was committed to diversifying the state’s economy and showcasing innovations to international investors.
“Technology start-ups will help support more than half a million knowledge-based jobs of the future by 2033, which will further enable research and innovation, and drive productivity,” the minister said in a statement.
