To advance the domestic development of underwater drones, エイト日本技術開発 and FullDepth have entered into a capital and business alliance to strengthen the domestic development and production of small AUVs. Through their equity relationship, the companies will also deepen their cooperation and seek to build a foundation supporting the digital transformation of infrastructure maintenance and management.
EJEC, which develops domestic underwater robots, and FullDepth announced that they had signed a basic agreement for a business alliance centered on the domestic development and production of small AUVs, with EJEC investing in FullDepth as part of the capital alliance. Through inspections and data use in infrastructure maintenance and management, the companies aim to establish a domestic foundation for marine digital transformation.
Under the planned initiatives, FullDepth will lead technology development, while EJEC will lead application development and commercialization. The companies will establish a system under which the entire development process for domestically produced AUVs, from determining specifications through prototyping and product commercialization, is completed in Japan. EJEC will draw on its expertise in rivers, ports and harbors, and water and sewerage infrastructure to reflect the application of new technologies, including AUVs, in development.
Against the backdrop of government strategies, policies have been set out to promote domestic production by 2030 and to build a foundation for the domestic production of products and technologies, including in the marine sector. This initiative is positioned as an example of implementing these public-private partnerships. FullDepth is working to establish a system under which design, production and maintenance are completed domestically, while also considering expansion into adjacent markets, including offshore applications.