At RISCON TOKYO 2026, JDRONE and Exedy group companies showcased an expanded lineup of domestically produced firefighting water-discharge drones. ASIO X, a gas-detection drone for indoor inspections, and HOVER EYE, a fixed-point surveillance drone, were also introduced.
At RISCON TOKYO 2026, JDRONE and WorldLink & Company exhibited a domestically produced firefighting water-discharge drone being developed by Exedy, the ASIO X indoor inspection drone equipped with gas-detection functions, and HOVER EYE, a tethered, power-supplied fixed-point surveillance drone. The water-discharge drones were introduced as a product group intended for firefighting in locations that are difficult for fire engines to access.
The water-discharge drone measures approximately 2.84 m in length × 2.86 m in width × 0.84 m in height, weighs 44 kg excluding the battery, and has a maximum takeoff weight of 125 kg. Water is supplied from a ground-based pump truck, sent through the water-discharge hose under the airframe to the nozzle, and discharged from the air. The target is to discharge approximately 400 L/min from an altitude of 30 m over a horizontal distance of at least 12 m.
Development challenges include accommodating the approximately 50 kg weight of the water-discharge hose and the recoil force during discharge. The current assumption is a maximum flight time of approximately 10 minutes. The companies are expected to consider extending flight time and introducing automation and AI support based on conditions at the site. Domestic development of the airframe's core systems is being prioritized, with efforts under way to domestically produce key technologies, including the flight controller.
ASIO X is an indoor inspection drone with all-around guards and a multigas detector capable of detecting 4 gases: methane, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen and carbon monoxide. Its maximum flight time is approximately 20 minutes. FINDi and SkyLink Japan are its domestic master distributors. HOVER EYE is a tethered, power-supplied drone intended for fixed-point surveillance from an altitude of up to 30 m. Its potential use for bringing equipment to a site and assessing conditions from above is being considered.