Aeronext and CHANGE Holdings Form Strategic Business Alliance to Advance AI-Driven Crisis Management

～Accelerating the Real-World Deployment of Next-Generation Aerial Infrastructure Supporting Disaster Response, National Resilience, and Defense～

　Aeronext Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President & Group CEO: Keisuke Toji; “Aeronext”) and CHANGE Holdings, Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and Executive Officer: Hiroshi Fukudome; “CHANGE Holdings”) today announced that they have entered into a strategic business alliance to advance AI-driven crisis management by combining their respective technologies and expertise.

*AX (AI Transformation) refers to the transformation of business operations, organizational structures, and business models by placing artificial intelligence—including generative AI—at the core of how organizations operate. While DX (Digital Transformation) focuses on improving efficiency and productivity through digitalization and data utilization, AX goes a step further by fundamentally redesigning the way work is performed with AI as its foundational premise. 

　The two companies first established a business alliance in March 2019 to jointly develop a Drone as a Service (DaaS) platform and foster a drone ecosystem in Japan. More recently, a consortium comprising Aeronext, NEXT DELIVERY, and CHANGE Holdings was selected as the preferred contractor for Akita Prefecture’s drone-based bear management demonstration project. Building on these initiatives, the new partnership expands their collaboration into a broader strategic alliance focused on crisis management.

Background and Objectives

　Japan faces increasingly complex societal challenges, including a declining population, labor shortages, more frequent and severe natural disasters, evolving economic security concerns, strengthened national defense requirements, and the need to maintain regional infrastructure.

　While regional digital transformation (DX) has traditionally focused on improving administrative efficiency and revitalizing local economies, there is now growing demand for digital technologies that enhance the very infrastructure supporting disaster preparedness, national defense, and regional resilience.

　Aeronext is developing AI-powered aerial infrastructure centered on its proprietary AI Flight Controller^*1 and Simultaneous Remote Autonomous Multi-Drone Operation^*2 technologies. These technologies are designed not only for logistics but also for disaster response, defense, agriculture, infrastructure inspection, and other mission-critical applications.

　CHANGE Holdings, leveraging its extensive experience in solving public-sector and regional challenges through digital technologies, has identified the advancement of Japan’s crisis management infrastructure as a key strategic business domain.

　Recognizing their shared vision, the two companies have agreed to collaborate in the field of AI-driven crisis management.

Overview of the Business Alliance

1. Agreement Date                  August 1, 2026 

2. Scope of Collaboration

The two companies will jointly pursue the following initiatives:

・Development of crisis management solutions utilizing AI module platforms
・Accelerating the real-world deployment of AI-powered drone technology in disaster response, defense, and regional resilience
・Joint planning and deployment of AI-driven crisis management services for local governments
・Development of a phase-free autonomous operation platform supporting normal operations, emergencies, and disaster response
・Joint research and business development for next-generation aerial infrastructure utilizing Japanese-developed drone and AI technologies

3. Shared Vision

　The two companies envision drones not merely as logistics tools, but as essential infrastructure supporting society.

　By combining autonomous flight technologies powered by AI with advanced digital technologies, they aim to build a Crisis Management Infrastructure capable of supporting a wide range of applications, including disaster response, defense, regional logistics, infrastructure inspection, and healthcare.

　Working closely with local governments, private-sector partners, and research institutions, the companies will accelerate the deployment of this infrastructure throughout Japan while also pursuing future expansion into international markets, contributing to the creation of a new global industry based on Japanese innovation.

Comments from the Representatives

Keisuke Toji, President & Group CEO, Aeronext Inc.

　Since its founding, AERONEXT has pursued the vision of bringing aerial infrastructure into real-world deployment, beginning with drone logistics and expanding through practical operational experience.

　The technologies we have developed—including our AI Flight Controller and Simultaneous Remote Autonomous Multi-Drone Operation platform—have evolved beyond logistics into foundational technologies applicable to disaster response, infrastructure inspection, agriculture, defense, and economic security.

　At the same time, Japan faces increasingly complex societal challenges, from demographic decline and labor shortages to disaster preparedness and strengthening regional resilience. Addressing these challenges requires a new generation of phase-free social infrastructure capable of supporting communities seamlessly during normal operations, emergencies, and disasters alike.

　We are delighted to partner with CHANGE Holdings, a recognized leader in regional and public-sector digital transformation. By combining our respective technologies and expertise, we will create new value through AI-driven crisis management and accelerate the realization of next-generation aerial infrastructure that delivers greater safety, security, and resilience to communities across Japan.

　Looking ahead, we also aim to bring Japan’s AI-powered drone technologies to the global market, contributing to a safer, more resilient, and sustainable society worldwide.

Hiroshi Fukudome, Representative Director, President and Executive Officer, CHANGE Holdings, Inc.

　Through our Public-Tech business, CHANGE Holdings has supported digital transformation initiatives for local governments across Japan while also developing services that strengthen disaster preparedness, including disaster relief programs utilizing Japan’s hometown tax donation system and cybersecurity solutions.

　Today, regional communities face increasingly diverse challenges that extend well beyond administrative efficiency, encompassing disaster preparedness, national defense, and economic security.

　Building on our long-standing partnership with AERONEXT, which began with the joint development of a DaaS platform in 2019, we are excited to take our collaboration to the next stage. By combining our technologies and expertise, we aim to help establish an AI-powered crisis management infrastructure capable of supporting society seamlessly during both everyday operations and times of emergency.

【For inquiries from the press regarding this news release】

Aeronext Inc. PR Dept. (Contact: Ito)
Tel: +81-3-6455-0626　Email: aeronext_pr@aeronext.com

CHANGE Holdings, Inc. PR（Contact：Munakata・Oka・Takahashi）
Tel： 03-6435-8396 Email： pr@change-jp.com

Reference

*1 AI Flight Controller
A next-generation flight control system that incorporates artificial intelligence technologies, including deep learning, to optimize the attitude and flight speed of drones and other aircraft in real time based on sensor data.

*2  Simultaneous Remote Autonomous Multi-Drone Operation
A technology that enables a single operator to simultaneously monitor and control multiple unmanned vehicles—including drones, autonomous delivery robots, and unmanned surface vessels—from a remote monitoring and control center.

【About CHANGE Holdings, Inc.】

Change Holdings’ mission is “Change People, Change Business, Change Japan,” and under the vision of “Changing Productivity,” the company drives and expands its operations through two core business pillars: the NEW-IT Transformation Business, which supports the development of digital talent and drives the innovation and digitalization of business processes, and the PubliTech Business, which promotes regional revitalization through DX.

*For more information about the company, please visit https://www.changeholdings.co.jp/.

【About Aeronext Inc.】

　Guided by its mission, “Creating a world where prosperity reaches every corner through new social infrastructure for the 100-year life era,” Aeronext is pioneering the development of next-generation social infrastructure utilizing low-altitude airspace.

　In addition to its technology licensing business and joint development projects centered on its proprietary 4D GRAVITY^TM center-of-gravity control technology, the company operates SkyHub^TM, a New Smart Logistics platform that integrates and optimizes regional logistics, as well as drone operation services through its strategic subsidiary, NEXT DELIVERY Inc. SkyHub^TM has already been deployed in multiple regions across Japan and continues to expand as a sustainable, phase-free regional logistics infrastructure that supports both everyday logistics and emergency transportation during disasters.

　Building on the Simultaneous Remote Autonomous Multi-Drone Operation technologies developed through its logistics business, Aeronext is also advancing the real-world deployment of Physical AI.  The company is expanding its AI modules across a wide range of industries—including logistics, agriculture, infrastructure inspection, disaster response, and security—while developing a platform capable of seamlessly integrating and controlling diverse drones and robotic systems.

*Company profile: https://aeronext.com/about/company/

*Aeronext and the Aeronext logo, NEXT DELIVERY, “4D GRAVITYTM” and “SkyHubTM” are trademarks of Aeronext Inc. *Other company and product names mentioned in this press release are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.