Launch of the “Mongolia New Smart Logistics Promotion Working Group” at the “New Smart Logistics Symposium” held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on September 28.～Demonstration of transfusion blood transport by drone in Ulaanbaatar within this year～

Aeronext Inc. (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Keisuke Toji; hereinafter “Aeronext”), Newcom Group（Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; CEO: B.Baatarmunkh）, Seino Holdings Co., Ltd. (Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture; President and CEO: Yoshitaka Taguchi; hereinafter “Seino HD”) and KDDI SmartDrone Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Masafumi Hirono; hereinafter “KDDI SmartDrone) announced the launch of the “Mongolia New Smart Logistics Promotion Working Group” (hereinafter referred to as the “Working Group”) at the “New Smart Logistics*1 Symposium” held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Thursday, September 28, aiming to establish a delivery network utilizing drones in Mongolia.

The four parties also announced that, within this year, they will pursue the activities of this working group and conduct a demonstration experiment of drone delivery of blood for transfusions in cooperation with National Center for Transfusion Medicine and Mongolia-Japan Hospital of Mongolian National University of Medical Science to study the feasibility of constructing a medical supply delivery network utilizing drones in Mongolia in the future.

The “New Smart Logistics Symposium” (hosted by the Mongolia New Smart Logistics Promotion Working Group Preparatory Committee) was held at White Rock Center in Ulaanbaatar. The symposium included discussions with Mongolian government agencies and businesses as part of the “Needs Confirmation Survey on the Construction of a Medical Supplies Delivery Network Using Drones in Mongolia” Project*2 under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)’s FY2022 “SDGs Business Supporting Surveys (SDGs Business Needs Confirmation Survey)” scheme, where JICA adopted Aeronext to participate.

In addition to the four parties above, the working group consists of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), National Center for Transfusion Medicine, Mongolia-Japan Hospital of Mongolian National University of Medical Science, NewCom Group, and Mobicom Corporation LLC, and Tok Tok LLC, and will start to study the feasibility of societal implementation of drone delivery network and SkyHub®*3, a new smart logistics system in Mongolia.

Based on activities conducted through JICA’s SDGs Business Needs Confirmation Survey project, the establishment of this working group is the first major step in the overseas development of the SkyHub®, a new smart logistics system planned and developed by Aeronext and Seino HD, which is now in the phase of societal implementation in several regions in Japan.

The “Mongolia New Smart Logistics Symposium” was attended by more than 100 people from Japan and Mongolia on an invitation-only basis, and included government and public officials, medical professionals, and businesses from various industries, including the logistics and distribution industries.

Mr. B. Baatarmunkh, CEO of Newcom Group, gave opening remarks, Mr. Shinichi Tanaka, Chief Representative of JICA Mongolia Office, Mr. Chinzorig Ganbold, CEO of CU Mongolia, gave remarks as guests of honor, and Mr. ERDENEBAYAR Namijil, MD, Ph.D, National Center for Transfusion Medicine, gave a speech on “Expectations and Prospects for Drone Delivery in the Medical Field in Mongolia.” Keisuke Toji, CEO of Aeronext, who is also a board member of the Japan New Smart Logistics Promotion Council, then took the stage to introduce the “New Smart Logistics in Japan: Initiatives, Achievements, and Case Studies”.

This was followed by a activities on the “Needs Confirmation Survey on the Construction of a Medical Goods Delivery Network Using Drones in Mongolia – JICA FY2022 SDGs Business Supporting Surveys (SDGs Business Needs Confirmation Survey) project and a panel discussion on the theme “Effective Legal Environment for the Growth of the Drone Industry in Mongolia.

By implementing the activities of this working group, the four parties will promote the development of social infrastructure through the construction of new smart logistics in line with Mongolia’s social issues and the needs of its residents, thereby contributing to solving Mongolia’s social challenges.

（Reference）

*1 New Smart Logistics
A public-private initiative to find solutions to the issues commonly faced by the logistics industry, such as labor shortages, environmental and energy issues, and DX areas, while utilizing digital and technology to ensure the future sustainability of logistics, which is an indispensable infrastructure for people’s daily lives. The project aims to realize the last mile joint delivery, the best mix of land and air transportation, freight and passenger consolidation, automated technology, etc., through co-creation based on an open public platform (O.P.P.) that transcends the boundaries between the industry and the outside world.

*2 JICA ” SDGs Business Supporting Surveys
This project supports the creation of businesses by Japanese private companies and others that contribute to solving problems in developing countries, and also works to co-create value by utilizing the networks, relationships of trust, and know-how with governments of developing countries that have been built through Official Development Assistance (ODA). In FY2022, the system was reorganized on a trial basis to improve the convenience of the system, further promote business development, and further enhance the contribution to development impact. In addition to the SGDs Business Verification Survey*Note 1, new applications for the SDGs Business Needs Confirmation Survey *Note 2 and the SDGs Business Validation Survey *Note 3) were opened.
Note 1 ” SGDs Business Verification Survey ” is a project to develop a business plan through verification of business models including demonstrations of technologies, products, know-how, etc., and promoting understanding of proposed products, etc.
Note 2 ” SDGs Business Validation Survey ” is to collect basic information and formulate an initial business plan after verifying the alignment of the product/service with the needs of the developing country.
Note 3 With the aim of starting a business that can contribute to solving problems in developing countries, the ” SGDs Business Verification Survey ” is a JICA’s supporting scheme to improve the accuracy of the business plan by confirming the potential of the product/service to customers, establishing a system to provide the product/service, and establishing a plan to ensure profitability.
Reference: “SME and SDG Business Support Program” for FY2022: 59 projects selected (February 20, 2023) Japanese Language Document: https://www.jica.go.jp/press/2022/20230220_41.html

*3 SkyHub®︎
A new smart logistics platform jointly developed and deployed by Aeronext and Seino HD that connects existing logistics and drone logistics and connects ground and air infrastructure so that goods can be delivered anytime, anywhere. SkyHub® is an open and standardized system that incorporates drone delivery. On this platform, based on the Drone Depot®︎, we develop and provide services tailored to local issues and needs, such as delivery agency services based on the SkyHub® application, on-demand delivery, pharmaceutical delivery, and joint delivery of packages from different logistics companies in one package. The introduction of SkyHub® not only has the logistics benefits of promoting unmanned and inventory-free operations and improving last mile delivery efficiency, but also contributes to addressing social issues in the region, such as the shortage of workers due to the declining population and aging population, transportation problems in specific depopulated areas, medical problems, disaster countermeasures, and measures for the vulnerable in logistics, from the aspect of logistics reform, and will also raise the level of satisfaction of residents and communities by improving convenience and quality of life.

*4 Dedicated Logistics Drone AirTruck
AirTruck, the first mass-produced logistics drone developed in Japan by Aeronext Corporation, a next-generation drone technology startup, in collaboration with ACSL, achieves stable flight with Aeronext’s proprietary 4D GRAVITY®*5 airframe structure design technology. The AirTruck is a dedicated logistics drone that goes “faster, farther, and is more stable” with enhanced for logistics, specialized for forward motion, and aerodynamic characteristics required for long-distance flight. The prototype has flown in demonstration tests in various regions of Japan and has the No. 1 flight record in Japan.

*5 Airframe structural design technology 4D GRAVITY®
Airframe structure design technology developed by Aeronext optimizes aerodynamic characteristics by equalizing motor speed regardless of attitude, condition, or movement during flight and controlling lift, drag, and fuselage center of gravity based on fuselage shape and structure to improve the basic performance of industrial drones, such as stability, efficiency, and mobility, and the transportation performance of drones dedicated to logistics. Aeronext has patented this technology and manages it as part of the 4D GRAVITY® patent portfolio. 4D GRAVITY® improves basic performance and opens up new markets and applications for industrial drones.

【About Seino Holdings Co., LTD.】
With logistics as its central axis, Seino Holdings also provides one-stop value in areas peripheral to logistics, such as finance, human resources, and procurement. We aim to be a corporate group that connects hearts and minds beyond logistics to contribute to the prosperity of our customers and bring smiles and happiness to all.
Under the slogan of “Team Green Logistics,” we are currently working to develop an open public platform (O.P.P.) that transcends industry and corporate boundaries as an overall strategy to solve social issues facing Japan, such as the declining birthrate, aging population, and environmental problems, and to take on the challenge of co-creating “green logistics” that will optimize a sustainable logistics network. In the last mile area, we are actively building a “last mile O.P.P. that solves social issues” as a countermeasure for vulnerable shoppers and poor families, in line with the changing lifestyles and structures of society as a whole.
*Open Public Platform (O.P.P.)
Our concept is to build a logistics platform that is open and accessible to all, regardless of industry or location, to improve the efficiency and value to each user, and to contribute to industry, the environment, and people’s lives as an infrastructure.
*For more information: https://www.seino.co.jp/seino/shd/overall-condition/

【About Aeronext Inc.】
AERONEXT, an IP driven R & D technology startup for next-generation drones, is a company that designs the sky through technology to create a world where the sky becomes a social infrastructure, is economized, and solves social issues through drones. Our core technology is 4D GRAVITY®, a unique structural design technology that improves basic drone performance such as stability, efficiency, and mobility of industrial drones by optimizing the center of gravity of the aircraft. In order implement this 4D GRAVITY® as standard equipment on industrial drones, we have constructed a strong patent portfolio and are promoting a partnership-based platform business for the 4D GRAVITY® license globally.
AERONEXT has also founded a subsidiary, NEXT DELIVERY, to implement the SkyHub® smart logistics and pursue drone delivery.
*For more information: https://aeronext.com/company/

【About Newcom Group 】
Newcom Group is Mongolia’s leading investment firm with over 30 years of track record of pioneering change across multiple industries and has a diverse portfolio of investments across telecommunication, aviation, renewable energy, real estate and mining services sectors.
*For more information: https://www.newcom.mn/

【About KDDI SmartDrone Inc.】
KDDI SmartDrone builds services that enable safe remote and long-distance flights by controlling drones using mobile communications such as 4G LTE. KDDI SmartDrone is working to create new businesses with drones and provide agile services that meet customer needs in various fields such as inspection, logistics, surveillance, agriculture, and surveying.
*For more information https://kddi.smartdrone.co.jp/

*AERONEXT and the AERONEXT logo, as well as “4D GRAVITY^®” “SkyHub^®“are trademarks of Aeronext Inc.
*Other company names and product/service names mentioned in this press release are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.