NEXT DELIVERY Inc. (Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture; Representative Director: Keisuke Toji; hereinafter “NEXT DELIVERY”) and NAKATSU・KYUKO CO., LTD. (Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture, President: Hiroshi Naka; hereinafter “Nakatsu Kyuko”) are pleased to announce that they have entered into a SkyHub® Provider License*1 (“SPL”) agreement on February 29, 2024.

NEXT DELIVERY is proactively working on the societal implementation of drone delivery services and commercialization to improve the efficiency of regional logistics and address regional issues throughout Japan by promoting the new smart logistics SkyHub®*2, which combines drone delivery with existing truck delivery services.

Nakatsu Express is a general logistics company based in Oita Prefecture (Nakatsu City), and is working to reduce the burden on employees and provide efficient transportation according to the needs of each industry and type of business while pursuing DX to solve the shortage of last mile logistics personnel due to the logistics 2024 problem.

SPL is a service in which NEXT DELIVERY packages the SkyHub® service that it has been providing nationwide to transportation companies that handle regional logistics and provides its independently developed delivery management system SkyHub®TMS*3 and drone operation services to third parties. This is SPL’s first instance in Japan.

With the conclusion of this agreement, the two companies will work together to address the driver shortage due to the declining population, global environmental issues, and efficiency improvement through cargo consolidation, and will build and promote a new regional logistics infrastructure that is sustainable for both local residents and local businesses.

【SkyHub^® Provider License Agreement Outline】

1. Date
February 29, 2024

2. Content
（１）   Use of SkyHub® TMS, a transportation and delivery management system
（２）   Expertise in drone delivery and operational support
（３） Permission to use various trademarks

＜Comment from Toji Keisuke, Representative Director, NEXT DELIVERY>
We are pleased that Nakatsu Express has valued our SkyHub® service and that we are able to work together to address logistics issues in the region. We would like to contribute to the future of sustainable local communities, focusing on the promotion of joint delivery and drone-based efficiency.We are sincerely pleased that Nakatsu Express has valued our SkyHub® service and that we are able to work together to address logistics issues in the region. We would like to contribute to the future of sustainable local communities, focusing on the promotion of joint delivery and drone-based efficiency.

<Comment from Hiroshi Naka, President, Nakatsu Kyuko>
We are pleased to announce that we have entered into a SkyHub® Provider License Agreement with NEXT DELIVERY, which includes the SkyHub® service. We look forward to working together to build a new infrastructure that will enable us to provide examples of how regional logistics issues can be addressed from the local area.

*1 SkyHub® Provider License (SPL)
SPL is a system to license to third parties a portion of the know-how, tools, and operations of SkyHub®︎, a new smart logistics system that NEXT DELIVERY has been deploying in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, Kamishihoro Town, Hokkaido, and other locations.

*2 New Logistics SkyHub®︎
A new smart logistics platform jointly developed and deployed by Aeronext and Seino HD that connects existing logistics and drone logistics, as well as connecting ground and air infrastructure to deliver goods anytime, anywhere. SkyHub®︎ is an open and standardized that incorporates drone delivery, and on this platform, based on the Drone Depot ®︎, we will develop and provide services tailored to local issues and needs, such as SkyHub® application-based delivery service, 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 introduces a new logistics infrastructure. SkyHub® will contribute to solving social issues in the region, such as transportation problems in specific depopulated areas, medical problems, disaster countermeasures, and measures for the vulnerable in logistics, SkyHub® will also contribute to address regional issues such as traffic problems in specific depopulated areas, medical problems, disaster countermeasures, and measures for the vulnerable in logistics, as well as raise the level of satisfaction of residents and communities by improving convenience and quality of life.

*3 SkyHub®TMS
A transportation and delivery management system that serves as a base for new smart logistics to streamline regional logistics by centralizing the management of various types of cargo, allocating cargo to available and optimal delivery resources, and visualizing and expressing the movement of cargo in data. The system is equipped with multi-modal functions, etc., and can also be linked with an operation management system for drone deliveries.

【About NEXT DELIVERY】
A strategic subsidiary of Aeronext, whose main business is drone delivery, established in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture in 2021 based on the Aeronext Group’s mission, “A new societal infrastructure for the 100-year life era, a world where enrichment is spread to every corner of the world.” Aeronext and Seino HD jointly develop and deploy SkyHub®, a new smart logistics system that connects existing logistics and drone logistics to create a new societal infrastructure. We are also developing related businesses such as development, sales, operation, and maintenance of both hardware and software related to integrated delivery and drone delivery. Starting with Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, we are working to improve the efficiency of regional logistics and address regional issues throughout Japan, including Kamishihoro Town, Hokkaido, and Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture.
*For more information: https://nextdelivery.aeronext.co.jp/

【About NAKATSU・KYUKO CO.,LTD.】
A general logistics company founded in 1950 and headquartered in Nakatsu City. Centering on parts logistics for automobile manufacturers, which is its main business, the company is engaged in various businesses related to transportation, including pharmaceuticals, home appliances, precision machinery, feed and fertilizers, general cargo (home delivery, moving), and warehousing. As a measure to prevent traffic accidents, Nakatsu Kyuko is also working on a smartphone application safety point incentive system and the production of safety education videos using an eye tracking camera, the first eye tracking device in Oita Prefecture. With sales offices in Oita City and Kitakyushu City, 160 trucks, and a warehouse of approximately 12,500 tsubo, we have built a business model that allows us to customize logistics solutions according to customer needs.
*For more information https://nakakyu.com/company 

*Aeronext, the Aeronext logo, and “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.