Rakuten Group has finalized a partnership with German startup Helsing to support the domestic deployment of interceptor drones and aim for their delivery to the Ministry of Defense. The partnership also envisions domestic mass production in the future.
Rakuten Group will partner with German startup Helsing, which develops interceptor drones, it was learned. The partnership aims to jointly advance the deployment of interceptor drones in Japan, with delivery to the Ministry of Defense in mind.
Rakuten will support the application of Helsing's drone technology to the Japanese market, with domestic mass production also under consideration in the future. Rakuten Group expects the domestic defense industry market to expand and aims to develop a new business through its collaboration with Helsing.
The partnership is expected to create opportunities to supply the Japanese Ministry of Defense and establish a domestic supply system. Building a cooperative framework aligned with the Ministry of Defense's requirements and regulations could be key to future developments.
Depending on market trends, the companies are also expected to consider expansion into adjacent areas, such as developing surveillance units for the drone market. This could further advance efforts to capture demand in Japan's defense industry.