• The project successfully demonstrated temperature-controlled drone transport of pharmaceuticals and blood products in Okinawa, Japan, from Oct. 19, 2025, to Jan. 29, 2026.
• Selected as part of the "Drone Delivery Base Development Promotion Project" by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), the tests confirmed operational readiness for both routine healthcare logistics and coordinated emer
• A new partnership with U.S.-based Skyways Air Transportation Inc., a manufacturer of large vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fixed-wing drones, will further explore drone delivery service capabilities and establish a pilot training system for the Asia-

ANA Holdings Inc. (ANA HD) recently completed long-distance medical supply drone delivery trials in Okinawa Prefecture, validating the use of VTOL fixed-wing drones to transport prescription pharmaceuticals and research blood samples across remote islands. The trials were conducted from Oct. 19, 2025, to Jan. 29, 2026, using VTOL fixed-wing drones capable of vertical takeoff and landing while cruising efficiently at high speeds over long distances like a fixed-wing aircraft.

The initiative was selected under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's (MLIT) "Drone Delivery Base Development Promotion Project" and supports ANA HOLDINGS Medium-term Corporate Strategy for FY2026-2028 to launch commercial drone services by FY 2027. The project operated on two routes connecting Itoman City to Kumejima Town (approximately 100 km: 1 hour, 4 minutes) and Itoman City to Nago City (approximately 89 km: 1 hour, 1 minute).

The trials were conducted primarily through the "Okinawa Prefecture Drone Delivery Social Implementation Promotion Council," established in partnership with Okinawa Prefecture and Nago City to advance practical drone deployment.

For routine operations, drones equipped with temperature-controlled delivery boxes successfully transported mixed loads of prescription pharmaceuticals and research blood samples on-demand. The flights demonstrated reduced transport times to geographically remote areas where timely delivery options have been limited.

In simulated scenarios where Kumejima was impacted, and medical supplies were exhausted, aviation operational coordination with the Disaster Management Headquarters during the Okinawa Prefecture Comprehensive Disaster Drill confirmed effective emergency delivery flows to the town. Temperature stability and cargo integrity were maintained throughout each flight, confirming an effective drone delivery model capable of supporting both routine medical logistics and emergency disaster scenarios.

ANA HD will evaluate next steps toward practical implementation based on these results in collaboration with relevant companies and local governments.

Additionally, ANA HD has signed a long-term business partnership agreement with Skyways Air Transportation Inc. (Skyways) of Austin, Texas, the manufacturer of the VTOL fixed-wing drones used in this trial. The partnership will explore commercial drone delivery services in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. By establishing an internal system to train and certify Skyways-specific pilots, ANA HD is strengthening the scalability of future flight operations and advancing from demonstration trials to full-scale commercial deployment.