The Japan Ministry of Defense (MOD) is preparing to launch its first artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for testing next year, as announced at the Technology Symposium 2024 held in Tokyo.
According to WING, the flight trial is scheduled for November 2025, marking a significant milestone in Japan’s efforts to advance AI technologies within its defense capabilities.
Colonel Michitaka Ikeda, Director of the Second Development Office for Aviation Equipment at Japan’s Defense Equipment Agency, revealed during the symposium that the AI drone program had begun in 2022. System design and preliminary tests concluded at the end of 2023, with detailed design slated to wrap up by the end of this fiscal year. The development of the flying test bed, or FTB, is set to commence in earnest in early 2025.
The demonstration of the AI-capable aircraft will include two distinct models—a combat version and a reconnaissance version. Both versions share a common engine and fuselage but feature modular wings and payloads, enabling flexible modifications for multiple missions. This approach ensures that diverse roles can be fulfilled efficiently by the same base platform. The drones will be equipped with generic computing systems to allow easy adaptability, with the airframe size planned to be approximately three meters in length.
During the flight trials slated for 2026 and 2027, the drones will fly specific mission patterns to validate the differences between simulated training environments and real-world flight conditions. The AI will be tested for its decision-making capabilities, particularly in simulated combat scenarios against virtual enemy aircraft. The MOD plans to run trials starting with one-on-one air engagements and then gradually scale up to two-on-two engagements to refine AI response strategies.
In terms of AI safety, the Ministry of Defense is committed to ensuring the drone’s secure operation. The AI’s decision-making process will be supplemented by a backup safety program, designed to prevent dangerous behavior such as mid-air or ground collisions. The AI system’s unpredictability necessitates the inclusion of these safeguards, providing redundancy for secure, responsible operation.
The AI drone demonstration is part of Japan’s broader initiative to increase automation and autonomy in defense technologies, particularly in the area of unmanned systems. The system will undergo comprehensive tests of its operational safety, including evaluations by swapping AI components developed by different companies. These tests aim to determine how changes in AI capability impact flight performance and decision-making in a variety of operational contexts.
The Japan MOD has emphasized the importance of collaboration across multiple ongoing research projects to maximize the outcomes of the AI drone program. Among these is an initiative that aims to develop AI capable of combat support, focusing on allowing the friendly AI to make decisions autonomously based on sensor data and real-time observations, thereby improving the drone’s combat effectiveness.
The Ministry of Defense has also indicated that related projects will address the detection of hazards like airspace collisions, leveraging cooperative research to enhance the drone’s reliability. By integrating these research findings, Japan hopes to ensure that the AI-controlled drones operate safely, adapting efficiently to changing combat scenarios while reducing risks to human personnel.
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