Drones take flight in Japan's disaster efforts

Local authorities are testing these airborne warning systems to speed evacuations and protect emergency crews, writes Asako Sugiyama

- Asako Sugiyama

Masami Abe, president of Tokushu Seiko, operates a drone in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, on Nov. 15. The company says the safety of security staff for the city's decision was improved by its disaster response during the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The city has been working to help local fishermen live their lives trying to recover.

(This file photo, dated Aug 15, shows a rescue researcher deploying a drone near the western city of Tokushima in Japan.KYODO)

Japan is turning to drones to issue evacuation calls during natural disasters such as tsunamis and torrential rains.

The unmanned aircraft can deliver urgent warnings from the air, enabling faster and safer responses when seconds count. The initiative gained traction after the Great East Japan Earthquake, when several municipal employees died while urging residents to flee.

Now, local governments hope drones can save lives — though high costs remain a major barrier to their widespread use.