Aiming to domestically produce interceptor drones through agile development: An interview with Terra Drone President Tokushige Tetsu (徳重徹) — Dual Power (3)

The interview with Terra Drone founder and Representative Director Tokushige Tetsu (徳重徹) covers the background to the company’s efforts to domestically produce interceptor drones and the current state of its business, including the development of a drone operations management platform. Tokushige Tetsu (徳重徹) said demand for interceptor drones has increased since the outbreak of hostilities between the United States and Israel and Iran.

Tokushige Tetsu (徳重徹) emphasized field testing and cost competitiveness in the wake of the war in Ukraine. He said agile development is important, given the front-line use of FPV drones in Ukraine and a development environment focused on real-world applications, including the production of models using 3D printers. The interview also introduces the release of Terra A1 Autonomous and the role of autonomous navigation and interceptor support systems.

He discussed the acquisition of a Ukrainian company and outlined plans to use Terra B1 in Japan to validate its applications and feed know-how back into development. He said Terra A1 and Terra A2 are subject to Ukraine’s export controls, making it necessary to develop new drones.

As its strengths, the company cites autonomous technology, real-world experience in terms of cost and cooperation with major overseas defense companies. Tokushige Tetsu (徳重徹) pointed to the importance of building a supply network capable of supporting the era of mass-produced FPV drones and operating distributed production sites. To promote domestic production, the company has set out a policy of producing batteries in Japan and is also lobbying the Ministry of Defense on the appropriate level of domestic content.