Japan firms to offer drone video-shooting services for tourists

Tokyo (Jiji Press) — JTB Corp. and two other Japanese companies said Wednesday that they will launch services employing drones to shoot videos of customers at tourist spots from the sky.

The travel agency, drone business operator Fly and Japan Airlines expect their services to help spread the attractions of tourist spots.

Drones will start video-recording after customers scan quick response codes prepared at tourist spots and complete payments via a website.

Customers will receive one or two minutes of video clips edited automatically by artificial intelligence about 30 minutes after recording. The services will cost 2,000 yen per use.

The three companies plan to launch the services at a national park on Shodo Island in Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan, on Aug. 1 following tests from Saturday through May 6.

The firms plan to expand the services to 10 locations by 2026 and to one location each in the country’s 47 prefectures by 2027.