Foreword

Drones are widely perceived as gadgets of leisure that are sent to the skies to shoot impressive aerial photographs and high-definition video. While they’re commonly used for entertainment, our
study reveals that there’s also a range of business applications for drones across various industries, resulting in a significant potential market that can be expected to grow exponentially. As advisers, this is a particularly appealing aspect of emerging technologies: how can they be applied to make our clients’ operations more effective? Finding the answers to this question is why PwC was happy to contribute to this study and is pleased to share the results.

Drone photo and video capabilities are widely applied in the media, entertainment and both public and private security sectors; yet applications are much broader when sensor-equipped drones
are combined with data & analytics and machine learning to make use of the vast amounts of information drones can provide. This combination opens up drone use to industries like power generation, utilities, logistics and agriculture, allowing data to be captured and analysed in ways that were previously difficult or impossible. Drone technology has largely surpassed human intervention for faster, easier and cheaper data collection. At an estimated market value of 409 million euros, the potential for drones in Belgium is undeniable.

The Belgian drone ecosystem is experiencing exponential growth, with players defining their role in the value chain and exploring ways to meet users’ needs. Some focus on the hardware and software, while others offer ‘drones as a service’. They all act as catalysts for the implementation of drones in our economic landscape. They’re the enablers which bridge the gap between businesses and drone technology, playing an essential role in accelerating the use of drones in commercial applications.

Although basic rules are in place, the legal framework around drones is still evolving. With great technology comes great responsibility: flying a drone not only implies compliance with general regulations around drone use, but also with rules on privacy and security. Further evolution in these relatively new regulations can cause ambiguity, resulting in uncertainty and conflicting guidelines. Cooperation and alignment between various Belgian regulators is therefore essential.

As in other areas, drone use will benefit from a harmonised, EU-wide legal framework. Once these laws are in place and as the technology continues to evolve, we’re confident that organisations will look to the skies and that drone technology will become an integral part of standard business operations.

“Boys and their toys”… Drones are toys, but they’re also highly sophisticated tools that enable companies to optimise their value chains.

However, for new technologies like drones to become valuable and integrated contributors to a company’s business model, a number of conditions must be fulfilled. Think of legislative frameworks, adapted operational processes and cultural/educational changes.

Technology evolves at a much higher speed than legislation. This means that the competitive advantage that companies can create in any given country is directly related to the speed at which that country can adapt its laws. This represents immense opportunities to the fast – and equally significant threats to the slow.

For the first time ever the Belgian drone ecosystem has been analysed. This study shows the economic potential of drones in euros, jobs and more.

Today, drones are sophisticated observers. They can capture data more efficiently than traditional alternatives. They can also significantly reduce risks associated with specific observations, eliminating the need for humans to be physically present in hazardous environments.

The drones of tomorrow will evolve from mere observers to highly automated, autonomously operating and even decision-making tools. The sky’s the limit for the applied science of flying robots – or “dronebots”.

In the immediate future, we need to address our first challenge: integrating the products and services of current drone-(application)producing companies into the value chains of other businesses. A huge effort needs to be made to trigger the imagination of business leaders. It’s that imagination that’ll drive the application of drones into current business processes, allowing Belgian companies to take a competitive lead and by doing so, create employment and economic prosperity in our country.

This is a study about drones, but more importantly it’s about the implications of drones on us as individuals, as organisations and as a country.

Executive summary

It looks like our 21st century will be the century of robots, with a lot of buzz concerning a fast growing subfamily of these machines, namely drones.

PwC and Agoria worked together to gain insight into the developing drone ecosystem in Belgium, and more specifically the potential for the commercial use of drones. This report is the result of interviews with more than 50 key stakeholders, of both current and potential drone users, in eight industries over the last five months. It also leverages market knowledge and insights from both PwC and Agoria.

The young Belgian drone ecosystem is rich, both in assets and challenges. Many initiatives have been set up, but now the challenge is for players to join forces, work together and learn from each other. Everyone in the ecosystem shares the same purpose; to enable the drone economy in Belgium to grow and reach its full potential. PwC and Agoria estimate the total size of the potential market to be worth 408.9 million euros annually. The gap between that potential and the reality is still significant, and therein lies opportunity.

As the study’s use cases demonstrate, drones can do much more than take pictures. In combination with other emerging technologies (such as artificial intelligence (AI)), inspections can be undertaken in a cheaper, faster and safer way. Harvests could be optimised as part of precision agriculture and surveillance could be carried out more quickly and efficiently. Drones might be just a tool, but in combination with the right technology and/or equipment (e.g. cameras, sensors and robot arms), the number of applications is enormous and will continue to grow in the future. It’s crucial that businesses embrace innovation and start experimenting, and seek to learn from each other, across geographical borders and industries.

A much-needed European regulation, with respect for privacy, safety and ecology, is in the making. It should further strengthen the enabler role that the current Belgian legislation is picking up, albeit with mixed success. If the opportunities offered by the drone economy are fully embraced by all with a joint vision and passion, its success will result in the creation of new jobs and prosperity, and this for many years to come.

Introduction to drones and the Belgian market

You’ve probably seen them buzzing around above you: drones. They’ve become a common sight over the past few years and people are using them for all sorts of purposes: kids to play, adults to take aerial vacation selfies, companies are training their personnel in drone use and multinationals are investing in drone equipment and software development. Why are drones so rapidly becoming part of our lives? Let’s look back at their beginnings.

The first drone was the 1918 Kettering Bug, developed for defence in World War I. It was used as an aerial torpedo to reduce the need for manned flights over hostile territory. Between the two world wars, the Reginald Denny series were the first drones produced on a large scale, and were used as aerial targets for training anti- aircraft gunners. In 1946, B-17 Flying Fortresses were transformed into drones for collecting radioactivity data during nuclear tests. Decoy drones, such as the ADM-20 Quail, were developed during the Cold War to help manned planes fly safely into defended airspace.

The use of reconnaissance drones in the Vietnam War highlighted the main purpose of drones, then and now: to gather information. All drones have a common denominator: they accomplish
a task that would prove difficult or even impossible for a human.

It’s essential to choose the right type of drone for the task. When people talk about drones, they’re usually referring to flying remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) systems. In addition to aerial drones,
industries also make use of ground, naval and space systems. As these systems are starting to communicate and collaborate, a new constellation of unmanned service devices (USDs) is growing.

There are three main types of aerial drones: rotary wing, fixed wing and lighter-than-air. The most common drone configuration is multirotor with four, six or eight propellers. The multirotor (rotary wing) type has been available for about a decade, thanks to the development of small, powerful and affordable electronic components, also used in smartphones. It’s an unstable and energy inefficient configuration, but it can take off and land vertically. The airplane (fixed-wing) configuration is much more efficient with greater endurance and range, but it needs space to take off and land. Airships (lighter-than-air) don’t need airspeed to generate lift so they can fly almost indefinitely, but they’re very weather dependent.

The need to solve a problem creates the need for a specific technology. An aerial camera can be used by soldiers to look for enemies behind a hill or to inspect damage to power lines. The problem’s different, but the technology’s similar. Like many technology markets, the drone industry is highly problem driven. It has the huge advantage of needing only relatively minor modifications to alter
or advance the technology, instead of a complete development cycle, which can take years. The computational power is miniaturised and is becoming less costly every day. Problems can be solved by connecting the pieces of a puzzle that already exist. Drone technology becoming accessible is the reason for the rapidly expanding market, and explains the use of drones in media, advertising, police work, firefighting, agriculture, construction, energy, transport and more.

Belgium

The Belgian armed forces have a long history of drone use and development. The MBLE Épervier was developed in 1970 as a reconnaissance system. The target drone Ultima and surveillance
drone B-HUNTER are still in use. Two thousand and ten marked the start of the civil drone industry in Belgium, with the launch of the Gatewing X100. The establishment, in 2012, of BeUAS, the Belgian drone aviation federation, was the beginning of a structural collaboration between drone manufacturers, researchers, end users, training providers and the government. One of its major outcomes was the Belgian Drone Legislation of 2016.

The main task of BeUAS was to set up a legal framework for drone operations in Belgium. A legal group of manufacturers, researchers, academics, air traffic controllers, airline pilots and service providers was established. The proposal for a Royal Decree was ready by the end of 2012, but due a lack of clarity around the expected impact of drones, it took until 2016 to put the current Belgian drone legislation in place.

In the meantime, many industries and sector federations have started to work together on dedicated drone market needs or have expanded their current activities to integrate drones. One of the best known initiatives was the establishment in 2013 of EUKA, a non-profit member organisation working to enable the drone industry in Europe, which went on to receive Flemish Innovative Business Networks (IBN) recognition as a drone cluster organisation. Unifly has played a key international role in the integration of manned and unmanned aerial traffic, and many Belgian organisations actively support international bodies such as the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), UVS International (UVSI), the Global Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management
Association (GUTMA) and many more. Drone use is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, creating new and complex challenges related to large numbers of drones in a wide variety of applications and markets.

Many questions have yet to be answered. How will airspace be shared with manned traffic? How will huge amounts of data be efficiently and reliably processed and transferred? Which drone applications are feasible and what’s the corresponding return on investment (ROI)? What infrastructure is needed for drone development and operations? Which legislation has to be introduced or adapted to ensure acceptable safety levels? How will the misuse of drones be handled? How can we evolve to autonomous drones?

Using drones not only to collect data, but also as tools for the Internet of Things (IoT), transport, flying robotic arms and more, opens up a whole new range of potential applications. The (r)evolution of drones is expanding into a completely new ecosystem: ‘dronebots’. In this ecosystem, the air-land-sea service devices are part of our everyday lives and their use will be as normal as that of cars today.

About the study

This study focuses on commercial applications of aerial drones. We interviewed over 50 select users and stakeholders in our effort to be as representative as possible, but the study is not exhaustive. The market is constantly developing with new entrants appearing frequently. From our “drone’s eye view”, we present one case study per industry to illustrate the potential for commercial drone applications in Belgium.

The study begins with an introduction to drones, followed by an overview of stakeholders, the potential economic value of drones and how drones can deliver value in the various industries covered. For each sector, we include an estimate of market potential. We also take a closer look at legislation and conclude with the challenges and enablers of this promising ecosystem.

The economic potential of drones

Given the expected impact of drones across various sectors and the wide range of potential applications, we selected a number of industries for which to assess drone use in Belgium, both now and in the future. We asked key players in each industry to share their views, allowing us to provide an overview of the situation.

Similarly, we polled key organisations at the core of the Belgian drone ecosystem to hear their vision of drone evolution.

Seeking to assess the economic potential of drone solutions in Belgium, we based our estimation of the market value on the methodology used in PwC’s ‘Clarity From above’ study on the impact of drones. We performed separate analyses for each industry, based on data from 2016.

For example, to calculate the addressable market value for the Telecom sector, we took the number of telecommunications towers in Belgium multiplied by the labour cost of maintenance and the portion of maintenance activities that can be replaced by drones.

We calculated the total addressable market to be worth 408.9 million euros annually, with the Infrastructure industry, with a value of 176.3 million euros, having the greatest potential.

Industry	Value*
Agriculture	29.0
Energy & Utilities	23.3
Entertainment & Media	45.7
Infrastructure	176.3
Insurance	40.6
Security	30.9
Telecom	19.6
Transport & Logistics	43.6
Total	408.9

* Values presented in this table correspond with the 2016 value of businesses and labour in each industry that may be replaced by drone powered solutions, according to PwC and Agoria research.

Stakeholders in the drone ecosystem

There have been significant developments in recent years in the drone ecosystem on a global scale, including the drone legislation framework in Belgium in April 2016.

The following numbers provided by Belgian Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) provide insight into the level of activity in 2017:

The commercial use of drones is approaching the ‘plateau of productivity’ in the Gartner Hype Cycle, as illustrated in the Figure 3.

This chapter provides insight into the key enabling organisations and initiatives in Belgium that facilitate further development of new value propositions and enhance existing ones.

These industry-specific value propositions are required to realise the potential of an addressable yet largely untapped market, which this study estimates is worth 409 million euros annually in Belgium. Respect for the highest standards of safety and privacy are main priorities.

Figure 4 from DRONEII.com (Drone Industry Insights) provides a recent (2018) overview of the principal drone players around the world, some of which are active, directly or indirectly, in the Belgian market.

DRONEII saw a clear movement towards investment in software in 2017. Companies are realising that it’s not the drones themselves that provide value for users, but the data they gather and its potential application. This is part of the reason behind the dramatic increase in strategic partnerships. Since standalone drone hardware is not the focus of commercial customers when considering drone technology, the industry has shifted towards offering complete solutions. The bundled offering of hardware and software is driving numerous strategic partnerships.

Similar partnerships are also forming in Belgium. The following section examines the key players in the Belgian commercial drone ecosystem, namely

• Manufacturers
• Software
• Infrastructure, testing, incubators and start-ups
• Service providers
• Regulatory environment
• Training & education
• Applied research
• Collaboration, networking & community building

Manufacturers

Production of drones for commercial use is limited in Belgium. However, Belgium is home to Delair, a leading producer of drones in Ghent. Delair formerly Gatewing, was founded in 2008 as a spinoff of the University of Ghent and is now part of the French Delair Group. The Flagship UX11 is produced in Belgium, with over 95% of production shipped worldwide.

Other than drones for education and research purposes (VIVES, KUL and VITO), there are no other known producers of fixed-wing drones for commercial use in Belgium today.

There are several producers of multirotor and helirotor drones, including the well-known Flying Cam (http://wp.flying-cam.com) in Wallonia that’s been manufacturing drones for the film industry for over thirty years. Another longtime producer of multirotor drones is Altigator in Waterloo. Dronematrix has been on the market for several years and manufactures specialised devices like tethered drones. There’s also a growing group of hardware and software companies that enhance standard drones (largely produced by industry leading manufacturer DJI) for business-to-business (B2B) sales and specific use cases.

Most payloads including Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) that equip drones for specific use cases are not produced in Belgium. There are a few local producers that are active mostly in export markets, such as Luciad, now part of Hexagon. Large companies with local or international headquarters such as Nokia and Sabca are also engaging in the value chain, yet it’s unclear how fast this business will grow.

Belgium is strong in electronics and precision manufacturing, so certain specialised skills and parts can be sourced locally.

Software

Drone software is the brain of the drone and tells it where to go and what to do while flying from A to B. To understand and connect the information, the software installed in the drone is complex and operates in a layer-like system. The layers themselves are divided into tiers that perform in various time slots. The layers have to be combined properly to control flight patterns, altitude and other important information for the drone to work and act accurately. This combination of layers is called the flight stack or autopilot. Many studies have shown that it doesn’t matter if drones have different efficiency or mission complexities, they all need effective operating components. The information received has to be analysed inflight.

To achieve unified component communication, a generic architecture must be designed and promoted. The onboard system alone is not sufficient: external middleware and an operating system are necessary. The requirements of firmware and middleware are time sensitive. Firmware operates from machine code to processor and afterward to memory access. Middleware conducts flight control, navigation and telecommunication. The operating system monitors optic flow and avoids interference while simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) searches for solutions and decides the appropriate action based on information received.

Great integration skills are required to meet the growing demand of specific ‘drones as a service’ offerings. Belgium has a significant presence in this area, with good collaboration between industry and research.

A specific software critical for safely managing the expected growth of commercial drone applications is unified traffic management (UTM).

A UTM platform connects authorities with pilots to safely integrate drones into the airspace. Authorities can visualise and approve drone flights and manage no-fly zones in real time. Drone pilots can manage their drones and plan and receive flight approvals in line with international and local regulations. Europe is very mindful of the importance of drone traffic management and is working hard on concepts and the implementation of U-space.

Belgium boasts key players providing UTM solutions, mainly Unifly and IDronect. The BCAA and Belgocontrol, an autonomous public company responsible for the safety of air navigation in the Belgian civil airspace and consequently also of its passengers and the overflown population, jointly launched a tender for a software solution for planning safe drone flight in Belgium. The tender was won by Unifly and phase 1 went live in Q1 2018.

Infrastructure, testing, incubators and start‐ups

A new economy means new requirements. For drones, these involve testing, takeoff and landing, maintenance, recharging, training and much more. Initiatives are currently being undertaken in Belgium, with different stages of maturity and progress. An organisation at the forefront is DronePort in Sint-Truiden.

DronePort’s 15-hectare research and aerospace facility aims to become one of Europe’s leading unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) test and business centres, with extensive testing possibilities and an ecosystem of research, start-ups and corporations. Construction started at this decommissioned military airport in December 2017 to create a unique ecosystem, infrastructure and services to facilitate research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the aerospace and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market. DronePort Incubator aspires to be the home for start-ups, organisations and research teams developing, producing or servicing the new drone economy, promoting cross-pollination between research and product development.

Other Belgian initiatives includeDrone Valley in the south of the country. One of its projects is the establishment of a UAS airworthiness test facility for drone safety, durability and cybersecurity. The centre aims to offer independent performance and safety benchmark testing for drones and drone-related products, supporting industries involved in the production and use of drones in Europe. Test results will be used to establish performance-based standards for unmanned systems operating in the European Airspace System. To offer this service, the centre will rely on the (re)use of tangible assets (satellite/broadcasting infrastructure and suitable airports with segregated airspace), specific skills and proven experience provided by third-party companies.

In Ostend, there’s a Belgian initiative called the H3-One Drone Port, currently in the planning stage, which aims to optimise drone operations and help boost all aspects of development of the new aviation market, revitalising the airport and surrounding area.

The Belgian start-up scene is also an important contributor to the development of the drone ecosystem. Omar Mohout of Sirris shared the following data in early 2018:

Belgium has an active drone start-up/ scale-up landscape, with 25 identified start-up and scale-up companies developing hardware and software in 2017. The geographic distribution is as follows:

After limited access to funding in previous years, a peak of 6.7 million euros was raised in 2016, of which Unifly secured the largest portion.

To assess the success of all these initiatives, possible metrics would be job creation and the broader positive knock-on effects for the economy as a whole.

Service providers

A growing number of service providers, predominantly start-ups to scale-ups, are active in Belgium. Increasingly, we see them developing specialised services, such as inspection of windmills and solar panels, mapping, photogrammetry, agriculture applications, etc. Our research found that many companies value these applications as ‘drones as a service’ and engage with service providers rather than developing the competences themselves.

Regulatory environment

Drone legislation and its incorporation into national law falls under the remit of the Federal Public Service (FPS) Mobility & Transport and the corresponding minister. In addition, once finalised, European Union (EU) legislation will be introduced in all Member States and will gradually replace national legislation.

FPS Mobility & Transport, and specifically the BCAA, is the key regulator for safe drone flights in Belgium. Its main tasks are to authorise drone flights with respect to Belgian Drone Law, organise theoretical drone exams and issue pilot and drone licences. A dedicated drone cell10 has been put in place by FPS Mobility & Transport and Belgocontrol to help drone users by offering information on drone use as well as an interactive airspace map to both professional and recreational drone users in Belgium. In anticipation of upcoming European drone legislation, the contribution made by the Belgian legislator is highly valued. As Figure 6 illustrates, flexible and efficient regulations are proving to be a key contributor to the growth of the drone ecosystem.

The strongest growth in drone-related business to date has been in the Americas, partly as a result of highly market-focused and flexible regulation.

Training and education

Safe drone flights require educated, certified pilots. The ecosystem also requires knowledgeable people in a wide variety of roles including maintenance, innovation and development of products and solutions.

There’s a growing selection of drone-specific training courses and research activities within the Belgian higher education system, in universities such as VIVES, KUL, UGent, UA, VUB, UCL, ULB and UNamur.

With nearly 500 certified drone pilots in Belgium and counting, both established schools like Noordzee Drones, BAFA, EspaceDrone, the Belgian Drone School and newcomers alike have their hands full. Some are beginning to specialise in specific use cases like agriculture and inspections, or in rapidly evolving domains like thermography and photogrammetry.

Applied research

Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek11 (VITO) has been at the forefront of drone experimentation for over 15 years. It built its own drone early on and is currently undertaking landmark initiatives while working with private companies, universities and international research and development (R&D) and innovation hub IMEC. VITO combines profound knowledge of drones with a multidisciplinary approach which often leads to unique solutions that would be infeasible with only a unilateral approach. Unifly, a spin-off of VITO, is proof of the value of – and need for – such organisations.

VITO is not alone in the Belgian landscape: a number of universities are active in drone innovation and applied research. Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), for example, took the lead in Cargocopter, an innovative generic drone concept designed and 3D printed to suit challenging demands like package delivery. A payload of up to 5 kg, flight range of 60 km and speeds above 100 km/h are possible with this patented hybrid concept that combines wings with a multicopter, and makes a transition from hover to forward flight. This allows for fast and efficient flight like an airplane, while still being able to land and take off vertically with precision positioning within 50 cm. The need for interdisciplinary collaboration for innovations like Cargocopter is growing.

The evolution of these much needed initiatives can unfortunately be hampered by a fragmented approach and lack of sufficient long-term commitment and funding. Access to European projects however, in the context of Horizon 2020, is creating new opportunities.

Collaboration, networking and community building

Working together to find your way in a new and promising ecosystem is essential. Drone stakeholders need encouragement and support in their endeavours. Belgium, like other countries, has a number of initiatives to this end. Below are the main projects currently active (in alphabetical order).

Agoria

Since 2015, Agoria has been active in developing the drone economy in Belgium. Agoria connects and collaborates, stimulating innovation and fostering the development of value-driven industry applications. It lobbies for the positive application of the Belgian Drone legislation and actively supports the implementation of the new European legislation. Agoria has a seat on the Board of the Belgian Drone Association, BeUAS, and has recently been recognized by The Bureau for Standardisation (NBN) as a sector operator for ISO/TC20/SC16 “Unmanned aircraft systems”. It also sits on Imec.istart’s vertical “Aeronautics & Drones” Advisory Board. More info at www.agoria.be.

Belgian Unmanned Aircraft Systems Association (BeUAS)

BeUAS12, a non-profit organisation, was founded in 2012 and is the National Federation for Unmanned Aviation. It defends the interests of all Belgian public and private sector organisations, large and small, active in the development of the drone ecosystem. It contributes to the safe integration of drones in the air and is actively engaged with local, European and international stakeholders. For its 500+ members, it provides consulting, networking, lobbying and a cost-competitive insurance policy offering. Agoria and Vlaams netwerk van ondernemingen (VOKA) both have seats on the board of directors.

Drone Valley

Drone Valley13, a non-profit organisation embraced by Digital Wallonia, brings together all players in the drone value chain from requirements analysis to solutions. One of Drone Valley’s major initiatives is the development of a key enabler of the drone economy, namely UAS airworthiness test facilities for drone safety, durability and cybersecurity. The goal is to offer independent performance and safety benchmark testing for drones and drone-related products for industries involved in the production and use of drones in Europe.

EUKA

EUKA14 is the Flemish drone cluster that brings the drone industry and end users together to create a business platform through targeted partnerships with various federations, knowledge institutions and governments. In 2017, it was awarded an IBN project from the Flemish government. EUKA works according to the ‘triple helix’ model and aims to create a hotbed for innovative, drone-related ideas in Flanders. Through events, learning networks, seminars and creative sessions, EUKA facilitates the sharing of knowledge and experience necessary to provide the new drone economy with the opportunities it needs to grow.

Commercial applications

Agriculture

Precision agriculture – the aim of which is to optimise harvests – has already found its way into the Belgian market. Data plays an important part in precision agriculture; based on observation and measurement, a farmer decides when and how to treat each crop. Precision farming involves many techniques and tools, and drones could be one. However, drones have as yet failed to impress Belgian farmers for a number of reasons:

• Belgian legislation on drones limits possibilities. Drones aren’t allowed to transport things so can’t be used for watering or fertilising crops, only for monitoring and measuring
• Farmers are rather sceptical towards new technologies and tools, including drones. Currently, it’s mainly Belgium’s agricultural research institutions that are experimenting with drones to
  see where they could add value and outperform other tools. Once there’s a proven ROI, farmers are likely to trust their advice and start implementing drones in their operations

The question remains as to whether farmers will invest in drones themselves or rely on third parties. Most farmers have small agricultural plots (< 50 ha) and are only interested in two to three flyovers a year15. The cost of a drone is too high for small farms so the market will be mostly for ‘drones as a service’.

Overall, PwC and Agoria estimate the current addressable market value of drone-powered solutions in the Agriculture industry to be 29 million euros.

Faster detection of diseases

Agricultural diseases, such as fire blight in apples and pears, can have devastating and costly consequences. If not detected early, the bacteria can destroy a whole orchard. Drones are seeing significant usage in the detection of such diseases. Equipped with a hyperspectral camera, drones could detect fire blight before it’s visible to the human eye. Fast reaction is key to allow the farmer to control the disease and limit damage. Pilot research projects have already been conducted in Belgium, and agricultural research institutions are looking to refine results and optimise drone use
for this application. The potential benefits for the farmer are substantial. Connected to an alert system, a drone could save a farmer significant time by autonomously detecting diseases.

More efficient scarecrow

Other than fruit diseases, aggressive birds, such as crows, are also a real pain to farmers, destroying and eating crops, and impacting harvests. Drones could be used as scarecrows, flying above orchards and fields. For maximum impact, an autonomous drone that can detect the birds’ presence could be launched when the birds are already on site. If the drone only appears at fixed times, birds are smart enough to adapt their schedule to avoid it. This is a relatively easy application that could be commercialised very soon, if legislation would allow.

More precise monitoring of cultivation

There are a lot of processes involved in crop lifecycles and there’s room for drones in each, from soil analysis and seed planting to choosing the right moment for harvesting16. Most Belgian pilot drone projects have focused on monitoring cultivation. Data captured is used to compare crop varieties, detect correlation trends and optimise the fertilisation process. Drone technology offers qualitative crop data. Farmers used to take a sample of each garden plot. With a drone, one image is sufficient to monitor crop health and progress, offering efficiency gains and allowing the farmer to focus on other activities.

More precise harvest estimation

In cultivation, the farmer must know flowering intensity, as the number of flowers determines the expected yield. The thickness of the fruits is also important to give an idea of the quality of the harvest. Based on this data, the farmer can decide how many fruit pickers to hire and how many fridges to book. Harvest estimation is currently a manual endeavour and is not just time consuming, but expensive, subjective and inaccurate. Drones could automate this process by using high-resolution sensors or smart cameras that count the number of fruit and measure the thickness of each, thereby estimating the harvest. Projects are ongoing to improve accuracy in this application.

Harvest optimisation in the future

If the legislation would allow the transportation of products, drones could replace the current method of fertilising plants. Today, irrigation solutions take up room, leave spray traces and damage the soil, and crops near the spray traces tend to be of lower quality than others. Drones, which don’t damage the soil or leave spray traces, could result in up to 10 percent more space for crops and more consistent quality, allowing farmers to yield significant increased sales.

Agriculture is becoming a highly data- driven industry and it’s expected that a Big Data platform will be developed via which data can be shared amongst farmers. Data captured by drones could definitely provide input.

Proefcentrum Fruitteelt inspires the industry by experimenting with drones

Proefcentrum Fruitteelt (pcfruit), a research institution within the Belgian agriculture industry, is working with universities, other research institutions and the industry to conduct research projects on several topics, one of which is drones. Among other topics, they’re investigating the value drones could add to farmers in any of the applications mentioned above. Once they’re convinced that value can be added, they’ll advise farmers on how to use drones for that application.

Given farmers’ scepticism, it’s important that such institutions take up the role of trusted advisor and help guide farmers towards innovation that works, thereby fostering the use of new and emerging technologies within the sector.

“As Agriculture is an industry that’s becoming highly data-driven, drones will be an important additional tool to increase the efficiency of data gathering.”

– Michael De Roover, Partner, PwC Belgium

Energy & Utilities

One of the Belgian industries most enthusiastic about using drones is the Energy and Utilities (E&U) sector. And it should be: drones offer a lot of potential, supporting various business operations ranging from creating 3D models to conducting inspections. Various (pilot) projects have proven the added value of drones in terms of safety, cost efficiency and quality. The industry is avidly experimenting with drones, discovering new applications and exploring how to use them to their full potential. We estimate the addressable market value of drones within the E&U industry to be 23.3 million euros, and that’s just the beginning.

More accurate 3D models via photogrammetry

Thanks to 3D modeling, reconstructions and visualisations can be made of assets. 3D models are created via photogrammetry, defined as “the gathering of measurements in the physical world by way of computer analysis of photographs”17. In other words, photogrammetry lies at the intersection of geometry and photography. Drones are used in this process to capture pictures of assets
and installations. A wind turbine engineer, for example, can build such a model to visualise the construction of a particular windmill. The pictures would then be processed by software, which transforms them into a 3D point cloud and then into a solid 3D model. These models can be used, among other things, to perform virtual visits of the assets or to better prepare for maintenance visits. Data is captured faster and assets modelled more accurately, improving the efficiency of the workforce.

Increasing safety during inspections

Maintenance is a major aspect of the E&U sector. All utility lines and masts, wind turbines, solar panels, etc. must be inspected on a regular basis to avoid disruptions. Most of these inspections are performed at height, either by patrols of maintenance staff climbing masts or via helicopters. Although efforts are made to ensure safety while executing these activities, a risk of falling and other dangers persist. By shooting photos and videos of the installations, drones mitigate these risks. Inspections are also greatly facilitated with drones: they’re faster and allow a more complete,
comprehensive and accurate view of the installation. Footage of the assets can be analysed in detail, on the spot or afterwards, which isn’t possible with human inspections. Drone inspections also minimise downtime. Human inspection may require an installation to be turned off, which causes inconvenience. Drones allow inspections without downtime. These advantages have a major impact on overall maintenance costs, leading Belgian companies to embrace drones in their inspection processes. Many are experimenting with drones for the inspection of utility masts, windmills, solar panels, etc., while some are going one step further by implementing drones in their day-to-day operations. Due to legal restrictions (e.g. not flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS)) and limited battery life, drones are used more for inspection of static assets rather than of long linear assets, such as electricity grids or pipelines. Today, the latter is done by helicopters or by travelling field teams. If the regulations changed, it would only be a matter of time before drones could inspect the entire Belgian utility network.

Elia was granted an exception in March 2018 to conduct what turned out to be a successful long-distance demo flight to inspect its high-voltage grid using a fixed-wing drone. The goal was to prove that a long-distance (BVLOS) flight can be conducted safely, in the hope that the legislation will be adapted and long-distance flights will be made possible. If that were the case, Elia would integrate drones in its day-to-day operations, enabling visual checks and damage assessment in the event of power outages.

In addition to having a camera for taking pictures and videos, drones can also be equipped with a sensor to detect gas leaks or a thermal imaging camera to check faulty solar panels. Drones could also be used to make long-distance light detection and ranging (LIDAR) scans to create 3D models of a utility network.

As well as increasing efficiency and safety, drones also make it possible to analyse the situation in real time as the results are shown on screen while the drone is flying. Take incident response, for instance: when an incident occurs, e.g. a tree falls on a utility line, the current procedure is to send a field crew to the scene to decide what’s required to resolve the situation. In future, drones could be sent out for an initial assessment of the damage to determine the equipment and crews to be dispatched. With the appropriate legislation and technology, maintenance inspections and diagnostics could be performed by automated drones with advanced AI software to perform analytics and support maintenance processes, such as diagnostics in inspections. The drones could be supervised from a control centre and used for continuous 24/7 monitoring, resulting in a very accurate overview of the status of the utility network, and allowing for rapid response in case of irregularities. These applications are just the beginning: the industry is confident the future will reveal many more.

ENGIE Fabricom innovates its operations: using drones to install high-voltage lines and clean insulators on high-voltage cables

For over 70 years, ENGIE Fabricom has been the benchmark for the design, installation and maintenance of multi-technical facilities and services. Harnessing extensive knowledge of infrastructure, buildings, industry, distribution networks and energy, ENGIE Fabricom delivers total solutions tailored to the needs of businesses and local authorities. The company takes a customer-oriented approach and seeks out new, innovative solutions to meet customers’ specific needs.

For its distribution activities, specifically those related to high-voltage pylons, ENGIE Fabricom started testing drones in specific pilot projects in recent years. In 2016, for example, the company tested the use of drones in the installation of a high-voltage line for Elia as part of the Stevin project in Eeklo – a first for Belgium and a success for the teams involved. Belgium has stringent legislation on drones, so the government granted special permission for this test case installation. Using drones offers significant benefits: they’re less risky, faster and less expensive than a helicopter.

A test programme is also underway using drones to clean insulators on high- voltage cables, a task currently performed by maintenance personnel who have to climb to the top of pylons to complete the task. Together with the ENGIE Group Research & Development team, the solution is currently being optimised. The use of drones has the potential to greatly increase efficiency.

The drone’s eye view in E&U

Koen Hens, Partner, Energy & Utilities Leader, PwC Belgium

Drones are poised to revolutionise the E&U sector in Belgium. In a country with relatively high labour costs, drone technology can reduce expenditures while improving safety and efficiency. Koen Hens, Partner and and Energy & Utilities Leader at PwC Belgium, explains: “The E&U sector in Belgium – and worldwide – is under unprecedented pressure to move toward a less carbon-intensive economy while lowering energy prices. As industry players struggle to maintain profitability despite these challenges, the stage is set for the implementation of drones to not only protect people, but also operating margins.”

The potential of drones to streamline processes in the field is significant. They can live-stream video and capture high-resolution and thermal images of a facility, including hard-to-access areas that would otherwise be monitored by costly planes or helicopters. Drones can perform power plant inspections and maintenance tasks that are difficult or even dangerous for humans, without the need to cut off the power supply while doing so. These advantages are crucial in the face of tightening government regulations and financial incentives for companies that hit – or miss – reliability targets. Site monitoring by drones is quicker, safer and significantly cheaper. Belgian energy companies are already pioneering the use of drones for tasks such as inspections of high-voltage grids, thermal power plants and solar farms – setting an example that competitors are likely to follow soon.

“As industry players struggle to maintain profitability, the stage is set for the implementation of drones to not only protect people, but also operating margins.”

– Koen Hens, Partner, Energy & Utilities Leader, PwC Belgium

Entertainment & Media

The Entertainment & Media (E&M) sector in Belgium has experienced strong growth thanks in part to digital technologies like social media, mobile apps and drones. Drones offer creative new angles in audiovisual production and can have wide application in the advertising industry. PwC and Agoria estimate the current addressable market value of drone-powered solutions in the E&M sector to be 45.7 million euros.

Cost-effective aerial photography and videography

The most common use of drones in the E&M industry is aerial photography and filming. Drones offer new storytelling formats by enabling dramatically different angles, like shooting video over water or while flying through trees. They’re used in television, advertising, live sports, news reports and more. Drone use by corporations is also on the increase, for producing corporate video footage and photography for marketing purposes.

Using drones offers numerous advantages over traditional methods of capturing aerial imagery, usually by attaching cameras to cranes or helicopters. One is ease of use: drones require minimal setup and only one person at the controls, while operating a crane requires significant setup and at least four people. A helicopter can’t get too close to the subject due to its size and the large amount of noise and wind it creates – much more than a drone. Another advantage of drones is their flexibility in changing angles, a technique frequently used in videography, which takes a great deal more effort to do with a crane. Finally, their relatively low cost compared to cranes and helicopters tips the scales in favour of drones for shooting aerial photography or videography.

Creative ways for brands to connect with customers

Drones are playing an increasingly important role in the advertising industry as they provide new and creative opportunities to capture the attention of brand audiences. One of the techniques, called ‘airvertising’ or aerial advertising, is to attach banners with promotional messages to a drone and fly it at events or even in the streets – more dynamic and eye catching than a static poster. In addition to banners, Belgian advertising agencies are also offering drones carrying LED screens. Trendy brands are now using drones at events for people to take aerial selfies.

New entertainment activities

Drones have potential in the entertainment industry as well beyond merely relaying images at sporting events, for instance. The rise of drones is spurring new entertainment activities like drone racing, in which pilots race drones against each other. Drone racing in the United States is experiencing tremendous growth and is surpassing audience ratings for Formula 1 auto races19. In Belgium, drone racing is still very much in its infancy, although races have been held in Tour & Taxis in Brussels and in decommissioned factories in Liège. The industry expects that it’s only a matter of time before the trend takes off more widely here too.

Another new form of drone entertainment is drone light shows that feature a fleet of drones flying in formation, each carrying a LED screen that together create a larger image. The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang were opened and closed with a drone light show – the opening ceremony saw a record-setting 1,218 drones in synchronised flight20. In Belgium, several requests for drone light shows have been initiated, largely by cities and municipalities wishing to showcase their commitment to innovation. The industry expects an increase in demand and that drone light shows will equal and perhaps exceed the popularity of fireworks displays.

More effective marketing campaigns

Drones offer a wide range of possibilities for innovative marketing initiatives, which will broaden once they’re allowed to carry objects. For example, drones could be used to distribute samples – imagine sun cream samples being distributed on the beach. Drone technology combined with face-recognition technology for targeting specific audiences like children, the elderly or people with specific skin conditions would significantly increase the value proposal: creative branding combined with more effective targeting.

“Drones provide the medium to tell a story from a fresh, new angle, both literally and figuratively.”

– Lieven Adams, Managing Partner Advisory, PwC Belgium

Spicymotion spices up live events with tethered drones

Spicymotion is a marketing and communications agency known for its innovative advertising solutions and media experiences. It’s also one of the first companies in Belgium to offer tethered drone services, a marketing tool with a wide range of possibilities for all kinds of organisations. At large gatherings like festivals, Spicymotion films happenings with a drone tethered to a fibreglass power cable. This addresses safety concerns by ensuring the drone can’t fly away, and maintains a safety perimeter of eight metres at all times while never flying above visitors, mitigating the risk of injury to the audience. Since the cable restricts the movement of the drone and limits piloting errors, there’s also no need for a trained pilot – a big advantage for Spicymotion, as anyone can manage the drone. And, tethered drones can remain in the air continuously as power is transmitted via the fibreglass cable, eliminating the need to land every 15 minutes to change the battery.

Infrastructure

Using drones to help manage infrastructure makes real sense. The construction industry – for construction sites, roads and railways – has already discovered the many ways in which drones can add value and is already reaping the rewards. Not only can drones perform hazardous work, but they also collect data accurately and in a cost-efficient way.

PwC and Agoria estimate the addressable market value of drones in the Belgian Infrastructure industry to be 176.3 million euros.

Fast and accurate inventory management

Players in the infrastructure sector need vast amounts of assets delivered and store them on their premises, some of which cannot be measured by the human eye (e.g. piles of sand). The volume of such assets can easily be gauged using drones, making inventory assessments faster and more cost-efficient, and much more accurate.

Cheaper maintenance inspections

Maintenance is an inherent part of infrastructure management. Today, much of this work is carried out manually via in-person inspections, a slow and costly process that yields incomplete and poor-quality results21. Drones can be used to take pictures of infrastructure so that its condition can be analysed. Delivering a close-up view of damage means an owner can more easily determine which maintenance technique to use and likely costs. Not only do drones cut inspection costs significantly, but they also enable inspection in places that humans would find difficult to reach.

Transparent investment monitoring

Investment monitoring is a complex process consisting of several stages, drones could be used to automate part of the work:

• Before construction starts on a mobility solution, for example, a drone could carry out research by mapping traffic flows to determine where bottlenecks are. This would support a decision as to whether or not a big construction project should be approved.
• During the pre-construction phase, drones can be used to take pictures and record the ‘as-is’ state. Measurements can be processed and used to create a 3D model, delivering an accurate overview of the whole area. Such a model makes it easier and more straightforward to explain to stakeholders what work needs to be undertaken (e.g. damage to be repaired). It also offers those carrying out the repairs a clear visualisation of what needs to be done. With every stakeholder using the same information, transparency and consistency in communication is improved.
• During the construction phase, drones can measure progress or change by comparing current state to a baseline measurement already taken. Drones facilitate quick and accurate checks as input for progress reports. Discrepancies between the current state and initial plans can be seen in detail, enabling construction works to be followed up and documented in a very transparent way. Drones can provide trustworthy documentation in case of disputes.
• Pictures taken by a drone, especially from above, of progress and the final state can be used for marketing and communication purposes, costing much less than if a helicopter had been required.

Simulations and intelligent analysis in the future

A new application that’ll most likely find its way into the infrastructure industry is simulation via drone footage. Using 3D simulations can help prepare people for certain missions, avoiding the need to go on location numerous times. 3D models also form the basis for virtual and augmented reality (AR). Via virtual reality (VR) glasses, spaces can be discovered virtually, delivering huge benefits in terms of cost and safety.

VR and AR aren’t the only emerging technologies that could be combined with drone technology. Using AI, a computer could analyse drone images and report which images show damage.

Hoogmartens wants to take its operations to the next level

Hoogmartens is a construction company focused on exterior infrastructure (e.g. roads) that’s constantly striving for greater innovation. It’s one of the first companies in Belgium to use drones in its day-to-day operations. Its geometricians use drones to increase efficiency in a number of ways; they use drones to measure inventory and on-site progress, and to map roads and assess the condition of infrastructure (where and what damage?). Using measuring points, drone software can also calculate the amount of asphalt, for example, that’ll be needed to repair the damage. This in turn makes the proposal process much easier and more efficient as the accurate data reported by the drone can be used as input without experts having to leave their desks.

Hoogmartens is already convinced of the advantages drones can bring to optimising its business processes and help the firm move forward in terms of communication speed, safety and transparency. However, there are two barriers preventing Hoogmartens using drones more than it does already; legislation and data analysis capabilities. Hoogmartens undertakes a lot of work for the government and carries out a lot of renovations of public roads. As drones aren’t currently allowed to fly over public domains, it can’t use drones for these projects.

Hoogmartens also feels that data analysis software is lagging behind. Data collection (point clouds) is not an issue, but intelligent assessment software is lacking. Today, Hoogmartens exports created point clouds to AutoCAD, for example, to undertake the next steps. To get around this, Hoogmartens is developing its own software to indicate where the damage is and analyse and interpret the situation. This will be a big step forward in fostering the abilities of drones and enabling the company to use drones more extensively in the future.

Infrabel won a prize for using new technologies to maintain its railway infrastructure

Matthias Reyntjens, Partner, PwC Belgium

According to PwC’s global report ‘Clarity from above’, the average construction site monitored by drones has decreased its life-threatening accidents by up to 91%. PwC and Mainnovation has awarded Infrabel, the Belgian rail infrastructure management company, a prize for its use of new technologies for the proactive maintenance of its railway infrastructure.

Pressure to improve the safety and reliability of rail infrastructure has increased for a number of reasons:

• Safety is paramount. To improve employee safety, for example, Infrabel is looking to reduce the number of visual inspections undertaken by maintenance crews walking along the tracks.
• The railway network is becoming increasingly strained. Not only due to an increase in passengers and freight trains, but also because new high-performance trains exert greater stress on the tracks. A busier schedule also means a smaller window of opportunity for maintenance. Planned downtime must be communicated to railway operators a couple of years in advance.
• The general public and governments demand greater safety and accuracy. Every incident generates negative publicity for Infrabel and further increases pressure to prevent future incidents.

In response to these challenges, Infrabel has invested heavily in automating a number of maintenance processes. It’s become exceptionally strong in developing innovative condition monitoring tools and it’s recently been experimenting with drones to inspect the rail infrastructure. Drones are currently used mainly to control GSM-R masts.

The areas in investment monitoring of large constructions in which drones could add value are clear and plentiful, including maintenance inspections, asset inventory registration and the execution of specific hazardous and dangerous maintenance or repair tasks.

Infrabel is also considering automatic verification of the heating of a switch heating system using thermal cameras or equipping a drone with a 40-million-pixel camera that could assess the condition of nuts and bolts, whether they’re well fixed, if there’s corrosion, etc. This would limit train service disruption and with antennas left in operation would also improve security, alongside quality and punctuality. Drones can carry out inspections and surveys more quickly, more cheaply and more safely than people or helicopters, reducing overall insurance costs. And they perform tasks more thoroughly. Drones will be a vital technology in the infrastructure sector over the years to come.

“Thanks to their cost and safety gains, and the numerous applications in which they can play a role, drones will be a vital technology in the Infrastructure sector over the years to come.”

– Matthias Reyntjens, Partner, PwC Belgium

Insurance

Insurance is, at its core, a business of assessing, preventing and mitigating risk, and insurers are constantly looking for better information about the assets they insure. For a building, for example, that can be when assessing how much it should cost to issue an insurance policy (underwriting), what damage occurred (claims) or, in the best-case scenario, preventing claims before they happen
(risk mitigation). Using drones to gather photos, video and data about a property is a big leap in the technology behind this process.

Early adopter cases include usage by two American insurance companies – Erie Insurance and Allstate. In 2015, Erie Insurance received the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) nod to deploy drones to automate and accelerate underwriting and claims processes. A year later, Allstate, in a pilot conducted in Texas, US, deployed Quadcopters to assess home damage in hailstorm-affected areas.

Although most insurers are convinced of the benefits drones can bring to their field operations, the following challenges are keeping them from moving from the experimental phase to full operational deployment:

• Regulatory compliance
• Management of a drone fleet or contracting/managing outsourced drone services
• Making drones just another tool in an adjuster’s tool belt so that they’re easy to deploy in the field.

Drones offer insurers a growing number of potential benefits, such as helping reduce injuries and the cost of workers’ compensation claims. By putting drones, rather than people, in hazardous situations, insurers can prevent some on-the-job injuries. Drones can also help reduce costs. Roofs can be costly to inspect, especially when harnesses and other safety equipment are required for adjusters to carry out a safe inspection. Using a drone would be more cost- effective. Drones can also help insurers save money following a disaster. Using a drone to capture images means fewer adjusters are needed to inspect damage at the disaster site. The insurer may reap substantial savings as adjusters can remain in the office to review the data (a far greater set then before) and process claims faster.

Drones can also help prevent risks. With their 24/7 surveillance ability, drones can quickly identify threats from natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions, floods and hurricanes. This real-time surveillance data can be used to rapidly send disaster advisories and alerts to affected areas.

Drones will also benefit customers. As drones can confirm the existence of features that make properties more (or less) risky to insure, personalised premium amounts can be quickly calculated based on far more precise inputs into pre-defined pricing algorithms. And the use of drones can lead to greater customer satisfaction. Able to take more photos in less time than a human, by using drones to capture loss data, insurers can process claims more quickly. Policyholders express more satisfaction with their insurers when claims are paid promptly.

In the near future, drones, with their ability to quickly gather large volume data across terrains, will be able to reduce fraudulent claims.

Overall, the real benefit of drones for insurance companies comes from the potential gains in safety and efficiency. Companies can move from dangerous, hands-on, time-intensive jobs, like
property inspections, to a quick, safe and much faster process that allows their workforce to keep both feet firmly planted on the ground.

Recognising the game changer potential of drones and a revised drone-friendly regulation, combined with the success of early adopter pilots, should drive drone usage across the insurance value chain. The outcome will be streamlined and optimised property and casualty insurance processes, delivering a game-changing customer experience and a far greater competitive landscape.

PwC and Agoria estimate the current addressable market value of drone-powered solutions in the Belgian insurance industry to be 40.6 million euros.

“Drones enable insurance companies to assess risks better and faster than ever before, resulting in more accurate premiums and happier customers.”

– Dirk Vangeneugden, Partner, PwC Belgium

“We’re seeing insurance companies around the world incorporate drones into the claims process with success. The results are too positive for companies to ignore.”

– Mike Winn, DroneDeploy CEO, during a recent interview with Insurance Tech Insider

Safer roofing and damage inspections

One of the most common uses for drones by insurers is conducting rooftop inspections. Roofs are notoriously difficult and hazardous to inspect. An inspection is particularly dangerous if a roof is steep or has suffered fire damage. An adjuster can avoid climbing onto a roof by using a drone equipped with a camera to provide detailed images. A drone can also photograph the entire roof, including parts of the structure that aren’t accessible to humans.

Faster post-disaster claims inspections

Drones can inspect areas affected by major disasters, such as floods and earthquakes. Access to disaster areas may be restricted by civil authorities for several days or may simply be too dangerous for adjusters to enter. Adjusters can use camera-equipped drones to capture still photos or videos of damaged property which can then be used to process claims.

Easier insurance inspections of properties that are extensive or difficult to reach

One possible use for drones is to conduct property insurance inspections. Drones could be particularly useful if the insured property is extensive or difficult to reach. For example, a crop insurer might use a drone to inspect a farmer’s crops. Certain issues may be easier to spot from the air than from the ground. A drone’s camera can be equipped with special lenses to detect problems that aren’t visible to the human eye.

Effective fraud monitoring

Drones could also be used to deter insurance fraud. For instance, an insurer could send a drone to take photos of an accident scene. It could then use the data collected to verify details submitted by the insured in a claim.

Drones in service @ KBC Insurance

Kim Moors, Product Manager & Lawyer

KBC Insurance, part of KBC Group NV, is a frontrunner in the use of drones. In 2017, it started using drones in Belgium for claim management purposes in property, for example after a big storm. Multiple large buildings and factories can suffer damage in a storm and it’s almost impossible for an expert to inspect every building, especially those with large roofs, pointed church towers and other complicated buildings. A drone can inspect these kinds of properties in a few hours, with no need for aerial work platforms, climbing cables and other materials, significantly reducing safety issues.

Drones provide KBC Insurance with highly-detailed and accurate data, which affords it a good view of the claim and allows it to assess damage quickly, precisely and in a safe and cost-effective way. As drones aren’t used that frequently and the expected evolution of the technology is rather fast, KBC Insurance works with external Belgian drone services partner Argus Vision. The partner delivers a 3D model and individual detailed pictures which KBC experts inspect to assess the claim. There’s very little room for error. The pictures can also be sent to customers as proof.

What’s next?

KBC Group is currently setting up an experiment in risk assessment using drones. The intent is to inspect large property risks (before it agrees to insure them), validate if the property’s overall state meets its standards and provide future customers with valuable information about the property in the form of 3D models, individual pictures and an inspection report.

This gives KBC the opportunity to set better premiums for customers. Today, its risk engineers are unable to inspect the outside of large buildings and offer detailed pictures in just a few hours. This is where drones come in. The risk engineers simply have to take the results and process them, at no risk to themselves.

But drones can’t do it all. To date, drones have been unable to detect asbestos spread in the case of fire or get a clear view of damage in the contaminated area, for example. But KBC Insurance is convinced that drones can provide better (at least more) information. While the drone is important, KBC Insurance considers the quality of the data-capturing tools (sensors) and linked software for analysis as key differentiators. KBC Insurance is convinced that drones can help it improve customer satisfaction.

Security

Threats and thefts are becoming increasingly complex, requiring more advanced security solutions. Drones have a real role to play here, alongside better cameras and new technologies such as facial recognition.

Drones could be used for various security applications, ranging from supporting guards, policemen and firefighters during interventions, to monitoring goods and sites, preferably autonomously. Because human involvement will always be required, drones won’t be a disrupter. Instead, they’re more likely to be an additional support tool.

The industry is looking to regulators for a framework that fits its desire to use drones in day-to-day operations. Already, key industry players are setting up drone pilot projects to make sure they’re ready to meet client requests as soon as they legally can.

Not only does the Security industry have to come up with proactive applications for its sector, but must also provide an answer to drones being used with bad intentions. Safety is crucial in the security sector and players are developing countermeasures for when drones are seen as a threat.

Overall, PwC and Agoria estimate the total addressable Belgian market value of drone-powered solutions within the Security industry to be 30.9 million euros.

Effective surveillance support

Theft of valuable goods is a serious problem. Many companies employ guards to monitor sites and use static cameras. Unfortunately, this too often results in unsurveilled blind spots. Although static cameras will remain important, drones could provide additional security by offering a dynamic view of the entire site. This would be especially useful at large sites. If drones could be preprogrammed to fly autonomously and at night, they could survey the site while a guard keeps an eye on screens in a control room.

And, if drones were equipped with not only a camera, but also a sniffer to detect gas or other toxic substances, for example, or a radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner to manage inventory, they could combine multiple applications and further enhance their added value in a very cost-efficient way.

Drones could also be used for crowd or traffic control at public spaces or events (e.g. festivals). By monitoring flows, they could provide real-time data for security teams about congestion and disturbances. Able to identify risks and problems before they escalate, security teams would be able to react faster. Currently, for safety reasons, police and security companies avoid flying drones above crowds and stick within dedicated drone areas. In some cases, tethered drones are used.

When drones have the capability to recognise faces, their value at events could increase further as they could help identify wrongdoers.

Increased efficiency during interventions

Interventions are often dangerous as guards, police officers and firemen don’t fully know what to expect before they go in. Drones could play a major role by undertaking a first check of the situation and preparing those going in for what they can expect, having a potential lifesaving impact.

If legislation would allow drones to fly autonomously and beyond line of sight, a drone could fly to the scene when an alarm goes off to verify the situation and check whether it’s a false alarm or
not. If not, the police could be called immediately. The use of a drone would significantly improve response time, having a positive impact on the chances of catching the burglar red-handed. Drones could also help if an offender were able to flee the scene, helping identify where they’re hiding or which way they’re running.

In the case of a fire, a drone equipped with a thermographic camera could go in ahead of the firefighters to provide an overview of the situation and locate people who need rescuing, helping increase the efficiency of the operation and mitigate risks.

Countermeasures for drones used with bad intentions

The more drones are accepted in society, the higher the risk drones will be used with bad intentions. This could be as simple as a drone entering an area it’s not supposed to, or the use of a drone to deliver drugs, mobile phones or even guns to people in prison, and even the use of drones for terrorism.

The Security industry is working hard to develop a strategy to tackle such threats. Security companies can already detect drones that cross perimeters they’re not supposed to using devices that detect radio and wifi signals in a 360° radius, and within a distance of up to three kilometres.

Drone identification is also possible today, including the type of the drone and its mac address (the drone’s unique identifier). Once identified, it’s important to evaluate whether the drone is flying legally or not. For that, there needs to be a database of licensed pilots and flight permits.

The Security industry, together with clients, is also developing a 3D security strategy and underlying processes to be able to react faster when drones are a threat. The current struggle focuses on how to take control of the drone and get it out of the airspace safely.

A number of techniques have evolved, such as jamming, which is when a signal is sent out to disturb all wifi and radio communication within a certain perimeter. The drone then falls down. This can only legally be done by the police authorities. This technique clearly can’t be applied in no-fly zones at festivals or other locations where there are a lot of people as jammers can’t control where the drone will crash, implying a huge safety risk. Jamming is possible in remote locations, such as at sea.

Limburg police using drones to detect marijuana and provide support for traffic accidents

Limburg Province police department is already actively using drones in its operations, such as for the detection of marijuana. By attaching a thermographic camera to a drone, buildings with a higher-than-normal temperature can be identified. The accuracy of the thermographic imagery is 80%. Already a number of pot farms have been discovered. The aerial footage can also be used in court.

The Limburg police is also using drones to gain an overview of the situation and take measuring points when there’s been a large vehicle accident, aiding analysis and reconstruction of the event. Drones offer a faster and cheaper approach than helicopters, and can be employed more quickly. They also provide a more accurate assessment than humans.

The police department believes that the number of applications for drone usage will only increase in the future. It envisages the possibility of a static camera for facial recognition being set up at the border of the province to recognise criminals as they drive into the province. An autonomous drone could then be sent out to follow the car until the police gets to it.

Although drones have an important role to play in police operations and that’ll increase, they won’t eliminate other resources. The advantages they can offer mean that the tasks carried out by police officers will evolve.

The decision about which tool to use when will depend on the goal, and they’ll likely be used in tandem. For example, if someone is lost in a forest, a helicopter could be employed to provide a global overview. Once an area for a more detailed search has been identified, a drone could be brought in to provide more detailed footage.

“Drones won’t replace human guards, but can serve as an additional tool to make interventions more efficient.”

– Marc Daelman, Partner, PwC Belgium

Telecom

Telecom operators are uniquely positioned to become pivotal players in the rapidly developing commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (drone) market. Drones represent a unique opportunity to diversify their revenue sources and spur new growth. By means of a tailored strategy and implementation road map for commercial drone applications, drone solutions could become a key revenue source.

Reinventing themselves as digitisation players, Telecom operators have developed solid capabilities in Big Data and analytics, as well as in the IoT space, putting them in an ideal position to offer drone-powered solutions. They also have numerous other capabilities, such as financial stability, the capacity to invest, the ability to build partnerships and facilitate the drone ecosystem and undertake extensive market reach through their network of clients, as well as expertise in marketing and selling new products (see Figure 7).

Substantial expenditure in the telecom network and infrastructure will be necessary to support IoT connectivity, including the installation of reception devices on telecom towers using patented wireless data communication technology LoRa and the upgrade of the network’s software releases for long-term evolution (LTE) technology.

LTE and LoRa technologies enable tracking of registered drones via the attached dongle or chip. Drones that don’t use a dongle or chip could threaten the airspace because they’re not visible in the system. Their technical know-how and infrastructure enable Telecom operators to devise solutions that mitigate this risk, such as sensors (acoustic, optical and wifi), radio frequency detectors and radars to detect unregistered drones. These solutions would be complementary to (LTE and LoRa) network-based tracking.

Telcos wanting to capture the growth opportunities afforded by the drone economy have a long way to go. Assessing their own internal capabilities, including technical expertise and relationships across different industries, is critical. Based on market analysis and the assessment of their internal capabilities, they should select target industries. Engagement with clients within these industries will be essential to understand their precise challenges and identify which services they can offer to help tackle them. If market need can be guaranteed, these services can then be prioritised and offered.

Telecom operators also need to evaluate potential business models and make the business cases work, including a qualitative assessment of key requirements for each model, typically in relation to regulations, partnerships, market reach and technical expertise. For instance, autonomous drone systems (ADS) may be financially appealing, but might not reach their potential if regulations on autonomous flights remain restrictive. Multiple business models should be selected and pursued in parallel to cover the various eventualities.

PwC and Agoria estimate the current addressable market value of drone- powered solutions in the Belgian Telecom industry to be 19.6 million euros, but it could become much greater over time, depending on the (internal and/or external) strategies the sector adopts.

More accurate asset management and safer cell tower inspections

Drones can help solve Telecom operators’ substantial technical challenges in maintenance monitoring and can assist with asset inventory and management, as well as network planning and implementation — which have long been challenges. In the past, technicians had to climb to the tops of towers to complete a manual count of installed equipment. Drones can perform this task, providing detailed, high-quality data on owned assets, and carry out timely and efficient stock-taking. As a result, Telecom operators have an accurate picture of property that’s often dispersed over large areas. Some Telecom operators have already made progress in this regard. AT&T launched a programme in October 2016 that uses drones to inspect cell towers, streamlining the job
of maintenance technicians. Verizon also uses drones to inspect tower sites affected by severe storm flooding.

Creating new business models

Offering drone solutions by building partnerships in areas related to drone procurement, data processing and data delivery, and leveraging their internal capabilities across the value chain. This market can be served through multiple business models, such as end-to-end commercial drone services, on-demand live video data acquisition or a fully autonomous system operated at a client’s premises.

Establishing a drone traffic control centre

The establishment of a drone traffic control centre (DTCC) that would allow for the control of drone operations and ensure compliance with regulations is also one of the possibilities that drones offer to this industry. Telecom operators could facilitate the technology components of the DTCC, from end to end, by supplying and managing data storage, connectivity, cybersecurity, professional services and applications, including a drone traffic management system and real-time reporting and analytics.

“Telecom is an industry where drones not only have the power to optimise internal ways of working, but where they could also lead to new service offerings.”

– François Jaucot, Partner, PwC Belgium

Orange researches the use of cellular technology for drone use cases

Tom Sorgeloos, Business Development Manager IoT

Since 2015, Orange Belgium has been playing an active role in drone use cases requiring cellular technology. The trigger came when looking at a drone flight where the pilot had to transfer drone data to a computer using a USB stick. The omnipresent 2G, 3G or 4G coverage and Orange’s expertise was exactly what was needed. However, unknown at that time was the quality and range of the cellular signals in the air. An expert group, including a number of academic and industrial partners, was therefore founded under the name ‘ar4Gus’ to investigate signal strength and brainstorm on more use cases. Several flights over the Belgian territory using specialised equipment showed that the Orange network had very good signal strength up to 300 metres. And that interference from other radio signals, like wifi was quite low. Orange has become a preferred partner for drone use cases.

There are three major ways in which cellular technology can be a solution for drone usage:

• Tracking and tracing of drones and including them in the U-space (meaning that drones are considered to be aircraft that need to integrate into manned and unmanned (below 150m) airspaces).
• The real-time transfer of data over the cellular network, from very low bandwidth sensor data to drone telematics and up to 4K video images that require very high data capacity over the air.
• Looking at Command and Control (C2) of the drone in real time, which requires very low latencies of around 1ms.

In addition to having very good relationships with many stakeholders in the drone industry in Belgium and Europe, Orange is involved in three innovation programmes studying the use of cellular technology for drone use cases:

• AGILE, an H2020 project that sees Orange involved in a pilot in the Port of Antwerp where drones are being equipped with a gateway to send data from different types of sensors in real time over the cellular network, thereby monitoring radioactivity levels, dangerous gases and water quality.
• 5Guards, an Innoviris/VLAIO project which aims to demonstrate the use of 5G and network slices for safety and security and search and rescue purposes.
• PODIUM, an H2020 SESAR project for the large-scale demonstration of unmanned traffic management (UTM) in France, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Orange is also working closely with several partners for use cases in Construction, Building Inspection, Agriculture and Healthcare.

Transport & Logistics

Belgium is a major European logistics hub. The rise of e-commerce and steady flow of packages being delivered has added to already congested roadways. At the moment, few drones are being used by the Transport and Logistics (T&L) industry in Belgium due to regulatory restrictions that say they may not be flown beyond the visual line of sight. Drones’ accessibility, speed, low operating costs and lack of CO emissions mean they have a lot to offer and could easily become an integral part of the T&L industry. We estimate the addressable market for drone-powered solutions in this industry to be worth 43.6 million euros. However, given current challenges, the question remains as to when the sector will take full advantage of drone technology.

Faster parcel delivery in case of emergency

Having a parcel automatically delivered by a drone may seem like an obvious commercial application, but it’s far from straightforward. In addition to Belgian regulatory restrictions and technical immaturity (short drone battery life), there are other challenges. Given Belgium’s urban density, people ordering goods online are situated within a relatively small territory; using drones to deliver parcels could see an airspace filled with drones that risk crashing into one another. Using drones for regular parcel delivery is therefore unlikely to be feasible.

Practical aspects inherent to parcel delivery can also be challenging for drones. They can’t yet ring a doorbell, for example. Other solutions would be required to let the receiver know that the drone’s arrived. This could be done via a mobile phone notification.

Proof of delivery is another challenge. Drones can’t capture the receiver’s signature, so proof of delivery would have to be obtained through other means. Equipping the drone with a camera to photograph the receiver is a possible solution. And if the receiver’s not home? Where should the drone leave the parcel?

In specific use cases for which consumers and businesses are willing to pay a premium, such as for the urgent delivery of medical supplies or other necessary same-day deliveries, drones can and likely will play a role. Costs for such services could be reduced if a single pilot could operate and monitor many high-autonomy drones simultaneously.

Drones could also add value to parcel delivery in areas that are less densely populated than Belgium, such as remote locations like rural areas, oil platforms or ships at sea. The cost to deliver to these locations today is considerable, drones could be a more cost-effective solution. They could also be beneficial in locations where, for example, the nearest hospital is hours away.

Faster and safer inventory management via RFID or QR scanners

Managing inventory in the logistics industry is important to track inventory levels, predict demand and know when to place an order. Drones equipped with an RFID or QR scanner could count products, speeding up the process and increasing safety in hard-to-reach places.

VIL investigated the potential of drones in logistics

In 2015, VIL, the single point of contact for the Flemish Logistics Sector, together with the KUL and eleven other companies launched a study of the potential for drone usage in logistics. One of the applications they tested was indoor and outdoor inventory management. They looked at the case of NHS, a terminal operator in the Harbour of Antwerp whose stock of steel is spread over a three-kilometre radius. Traditionally, the inventory was managed manually with operators recording the location of the steel bars by hand. Drones could make the process considerably more efficient by following a preprogrammed route, counting stock and automatically updating the inventory in the system. Stock management would be faster, less costly and more accurate. Unfortunately, this is not currently an option as Belgian legislation doesn’t allow automatic drone flights beyond the line of sight.

Another potential application in logistics is site surveillance. International Car Operators (ICO), stocks roughly two million cars and employs two guards in a control room to oversee the stock. If a security breach is suspected, one guard goes out to inspect the stock. Given its size, the chance that the intruder has already left is high. If a drone were to replace that security guard, it could reach the scene much quicker and, equipped with a thermal camera, identify the presence (or not) of an intruder. Surveillance drones could eventually use facial-recognition software to identify
intruders. Again, Belgian legislation needs to allow flight beyond the line of sight to implement this technology.

“In the world of parcel delivery, one technology alone will be unable to meet the needs of every situation. The solution will be a hybrid and will certainly include drones.”

– Peter van den Eynde, Partner and Transport & Logistics Leader, PwC Belgium

Challenges and enablers

Based on our analysis, we can conclude that Belgian companies are curious to discover the possibilities drones have to offer. However, there are a number of obstacles preventing them from integrating drones into their day-to-day operations. Belgian legislation is an important topic in discussions about the feasibility of integrating drones into Belgian businesses. That and other barriers and enablers are described below.

Challenges

Legislation

A regulatory framework is needed for licensed drone pilots to be able to fly safely. For the regulator, it’s a challenge to find the right balance between safety and flexibility. Safety must be a key
priority at all times, but sometimes legislation (according to industry sectors) can be so strict that it limits drone applicability so their potential can’t be fully realised. For example, flying beyond the visual line of sight; drones’ real value lies in operating autonomously.

The administrative process to request an exception to fly in a restricted zone takes a lot of time, limiting agility as drone flights have to be planned well in advance. There’s a general request
to improve the whole administrative process.

Not only does drone legislation have to be taken into account, but other regulations, such as those around privacy and security, also need to be adhered to. There are some
inconsistencies between different legislations, resulting in insecurity and conflicting guidance for businesses. It’s crucial that involved regulatory bodies communicate and align requirements.

Already, simplification of the legislation is on the way which would enable more drone applications.

Technical maturity

Drone technology is evolving fast, but many user needs still need to be addressed, such as battery life which is still insufficient to perform long-haul flights. Multiple batteries are often required for flights over a large area under investigation.

Safety also has to be guaranteed at all times, as far as possible. Without that, companies will remain reluctant to adopt drones in their operations. Drones for professional use will have to live up to higher standards than those for hobbyists, be able to work in harsh environments for example, such as near electromagnetic fields, and they need to be able to meet very high safety requirements. Interested parties are curious about the levels of safety technology companies will be able to deliver.

Hardware and software vendors and integrators need to keep up to make sure that their products continue to fit industry needs. On component level, drones have substantial capabilities, but delivering a final end product still remains a challenge. The Belgian drone market is relatively new and far from mature, as can be seen in a number of ways:

• The market is full of small hardware businesses looking to develop a commercial product in collaboration with the industry. Such custom- made solutions are often perceived as unreliable, expensive and time-consuming as the use cases and proofs of concept have to be developed on the fly. Industry is begging for a ready-made product that fulfills its needs, without it being required to be part of a research and development project.
• Market immaturity is evident on the level of business models. Many companies are still trying to identify where they’d like to be in the market and what to focus on. With no one-stop shop, industries must build their own knowledge of drones and be able to explain their needs and required drone specifications. There’s a need for a service provider to analyse needs and develop the ideal drone for different use cases.
• Software is still at an early stage; currently, there’s no off-the-shelf software available that fits the needs of most businesses, mainly because professional users want them for niche applications. Businesses are therefore required to develop their own software or at least actively participate in its development. More mature software packages will allow businesses to reach efficiencies, such as higher processing speed, intelligent recognition and pre-analysis of irregularities (human interpretation may still be required), etc.

Belgian specifics

Belgian weather conditions are a challenge for drones as they’re designed today. Often developed and tested in countries with completely different weather conditions, they’re not necessarily made for tougher weather conditions, which could result in safety risks or the inability of the drone to fly. Belgium’s also known for its small size and large population density, making it difficult to find a wide plain without buildings.

These characteristics make it more challenging to fly drones. Safety zones are needed to protect the public, which limits flexibility and freedom. In Belgium, drones aren’t allowed to fly near airports or above crowds, making it even harder to fly a drone in the country.

Return on investment

More use cases are required to prove that drones are more than just a trendy toy. A cost-benefit analysis that shows potential ROI will help convince businesses to use drones in their operations.

If a drone isn’t required for frequent use (e.g. only for an annual analysis), ‘drones as a service’ may be a more relevant way to introduce drones. This avoids the need to purchase a drone, train to be a certified drone pilot and manage all administration concerned with flying a drone, all of which is done by the service provider.

When the human effort is no longer required and drones can fly autonomously and/or in combination with robotics, that’s where real disruption will come in and the use of drones will be faster, safer, more accurate and cheaper.

Belgian culture

Drone technology already enables a lot of applications, however Belgians seem reluctant to embrace the technology in everyday life. They’re hesitant to invest in a technology they’re unfamiliar
with. For smaller businesses, failing when trying something new could have devastating consequences, they’re therefore waiting for others to prove the added value of drones. Such an attitude doesn’t stimulate experimentation with and use of drones.

Enablers

The enablers listed below will support the adoption of the drone technology in Belgium.

Enhancing accessibility

Drones can reach places that humans can’t or find difficult. They can provide footage and measurement points from places that would otherwise remain a mystery or risk human safety. Alongside the potential time and cost savings drones afford, their life-saving potential is a great enabler to start implementing drones.

Enhancing data quality and accuracy

Companies have been using satellites and helicopters to gather photogrammetry and geospatial data for many years to gain access to valuable information such as topography, soil types, damage to infrastructure, etc.23 Drones will be a direct competitor to satellites and helicopters as they can provide data in a more cost-effective way with very high accuracy. Both satellites and drones have their advantages and disadvantages (e.g. one satellite image covers a large area, but there are issues on cloudy days), which tool is best depends on the application and situation.

Drones could also improve data accuracy; inspections and analysis today often use human eyes which means relying on what the human sees at that moment. There’s always a chance of something being missed. With a drone, images can always be reviewed multiple times and at a later stage. Drones also capture far more measuring points in a shorter timeframe than humans (2000 in 20 minutes vs. 600 in a full working day), improving data quality.

Legislation

The Belgian regulatory framework: driver or barrier?

Drone technology for commercial applications was introduced a few years ago. Businesses are now looking to integrate it in their processes to get ahead of the competition and find new ways to get certain things done in a faster, cheaper or easier way. This chapter looks at how Belgian drone regulations enable or hinder the adoption of the commercial application of drone technology.

Belgian Royal Decree

In Belgium, drone operations are regulated by the Royal Decree of 10 April 2016 in Belgian airspace. It applies to every remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) that takes off or lands in the Belgian territory, or flies through Belgian airspace.

Belgium came rather late to the table with its drone legislation, however, it’s considered one of the better in Europe, allowing for exceptions when well-documented and risk-justified.

The Royal Decree regulates drone operations using an exception-based model. It prohibits a limited amount of applications while exempting other uses from its scope. The decree regulates both the private and the professional use of drones, introduces a registration obligation, regulates certificates and defines authorised take-off and landing spots for registered drones.

For commercial use, we distinguish two types of operations:

Class 2 operations:

• Not higher than 45 m above ground outside controlled airspace and outside cities and communities
• Operations can only occur in daylight conditions and the drone (weighing less than 5 kg) must remain within the pilot’s line of sight at all times

Class 1b operations:

• Up to 90 m above ground outside controlled airspace. More than 50 m clear of people and/or goods on the ground
• Operations can only occur in daylight conditions and the drone (weighing less than 150 kg) must remain within the pilot’s line of sight at all times

Class 1a operations:

• Up to 90 m above ground outside controlled airspace. Closer than 50 m to people and/or goods on the ground or even over them or around an obstacle closer than 30 m
• Operations can only occur in daylight conditions and the drone (weighing less than 150 kg) must remain within the pilot’s line of sight at all times. All operations not covered in categories 2 and 1b are to be considered to be class 1a operations

For both classes 1(a&b) and 2, the following must be taken into account:

• Registration of the drone with the BCAA
• A certificate of competence for class 2 operations (achieved by taking a theoretical course and passing a practical skill test with a BCAA-recognised examiner) or a remote pilot licence for class 1 operations (achieved by passing a theoretical examination organised by the BCAA and a practical skill test with a BCAA-recognised examiner)
• An operation manual and risk assessment for class 1
• A declaration made by the operator that the organisation is in full compliance with the national requirements for class 1b (starting operations only after receiving confirmation from the BCAA and notifying the BCAA of each drone flight before take-off) and has prior authorisation from the BCAA for class 1a operations (the drone has a certificate of conformity from the BCAA or an equivalent document issued by a civil aviation authority from an EU Member State. If not, one must be obtained prior to requesting authorisation)
• Respect for forbidden zones at all times. Forbidden zones are all controlled airspaces, prohibited zones, danger zones, restricted zones, temporary segregated/ reserved areas, etc. Industrial complexes, nuclear power plants, military zones and other special zones that cannot be flown over unless otherwise described in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP)
• The use of completely autonomous aircrafts (unmanned drones that don’t allow the pilot to to take immediate control over the flight) remains strictly forbidden

Other chapters of the Royal Decree include provisions for the communication and control software implemented in drone technology, incident reporting obligations, mandatory insurance coverage for drone operators and references to compliance with applicable data protection and privacy legislation (in particular for drones with a camera functionality).

Excluded from the regulatory requirements of the Royal Decree of 10 April 2016 are

• Drones used only to fly inside buildings (indoor)
• Drones used by the military, customs authorities, police, coastguards, etc.
• Certain types of model aeroplanes solely used for personal/recreational purposes, provided that they meet the strict requirements detailed in the Royal Decree

The use of drones is also prohibited for operations involving:

• The transport of people, mail or cargo
• Towing banners or such like
• Dropping objects or spraying liquids
• Acrobatic and formation flights

BCAA works closely together with Belgocontrol24, offering other services necessary for a safe air traffic, such as aeronautical and meteorological information and manages all systems for ATM (Air Traffic Management) data processing and CNS (communication, navigation and surveillance).

Let’s now take a closer look at some of the key items in the drone legislation with regards to its impact as barrier or enabler for the development of commercial drone applications.

Barriers

Operations on air traffic service (ATS) routes

This exclusion means drones can’t be flown in air traffic security and supervision zones. In principle, this excludes the use of drones in temporary reserved airspace, airspace with a special status or within a radius of 1.5 nautical miles of an aerodrome or 0.5 nautical miles of helicopter pads.

As Belgium has many civil and military airports and active helicopter zones, this exclusion makes drone usage challenging at best, and excludes a number of opportunities for commercial drone operations.

Passenger, mail and freight transport

This use of drones is explicitly excluded and even prohibited within Belgium.

Around the globe, we’re seeing promising applications and pilot projects, although the business case isn’t always obvious. We expect a lot from these developments in the near future, in the area of smart mobility, for example.

Visible line of sight

In Belgium, you may not fly a drone BVLOS, meaning that flights are limited in length/coverage and often incur greater costs due to mantime requirements.

Shedding of items or sprinkling during flight

Drones can’t be used for “the shedding of items or sprinkling in flight”, which is in general terms useful in agriculture, for example, for planting seeds or watering or even fertilizing crops.

Towing operations

All towing operations using drones are excluded. This may seem an unnecessary exclusion as the use of drones for towing cars (e.g. to enforce the law in the light of parking violations) seems unrealistic. However, the term “towing operations” could be interpreted in a wider context. For example, drones could serve as a driver for wakeboarding, water-skiing, etc., currently known as “dronesurfing”. This use of drones is also explicitly prohibited under Belgian law.

Artistic and formation flights

By excluding artistic and formation flights, the entertainment business seems to be impacted most. The general terms of this exclusion mean it has wide scope, as no artistic exhibitions can be supported by drones and no specific routines can be designed, such as the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where drones were used to create a visual spectacle.

Procedural and licensing requirement

Allowed drone applications, not forbidden under Belgian Law, are subject to prior licensing and supervision. Requirements are dependent on the category of RPAs concerned. Today, this involves extra fees and due to relatively long cycle times means some businesses miss out on opportunities.

Respect for privacy regulations

With regards to compliance with privacy regulations, the Royal Decree imposes the obligation of respect for privacy and refers back to general (Belgian) privacy legislation, as guaranteed by article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Camera Act of 21 March 2007, the Privacy Act of 8 December 1992 and possibly even the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Each of the above-mentioned regulations has its own goal and finality. Article 8 ECHR guarantees the general right of respect for private life. The provisions of the Camera Act would apply in situations where a drone is used for security purposes. The Privacy Act and GDPR would apply to every drone with a camera that could process personal information. In the latter case, it would also need to be clear who the drone belongs to to enable anyone recorded to contact the operator with regards to the recorded images and their right to privacy.

Enablers

We distinguish two main enablers in current Belgian drone legislation that have a positive impact on commercial drone operations. The first is the exemptions listed in the drone legislation and the second is the possibility for deviation.

Exemptions

The Royal Decree exempts a few RPA operations from its provisions. The following activities are therefore allowed without having to comply with procedural and licensing requirements, and provide opportunities for commercial drone applications.

RPA operations within a building

Using a drone to deliver packages from one department to another in the same building, or even moving or restocking goods on a more efficient basis and thus, for example, enabling supply chain efficiency, will not be subject to a prior certificate or license, nor would the RPA need to be registered.

The use of a RPA in the public interest or defence of the public good

The use of drones for military, customs, police, investigation or rescue, firefighting, beach supervision activities or comparative or similar activities are exempt from the provisions of the Decree. Drones could therefore be used without having to fulfil any formalities to monitor customs stations to prevent smuggling, monitor beaches and help prevent drowning, patrol parts of a city to detect fire faster, etc.

Deviations

When the safety of the airspace, individuals and goods on the ground can be ensured, the Minister, his delegate or the Director-General can grant a deviation of either the prohibition of a drone application or the requirements of a permit.

This means that, when the right guarantees are provided, drones can be used for a freight parcel delivery, a class 1 RPA can fly above the 90 meter AGL limit or a drone can even go BVLOS during a flight.

The Minister hasn’t yet introduced a framework as to which possible deviations can be considered acceptable or which provisions aren’t eligible for deviation. Every deviation is therefore, until such a framework is issued, assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the guarantees provided and the specifics of the operation.

The Minister can also grant a deviation from the conditions in the Royal Decree for operations with regard to the public good (for example traffic supervision or environmental monitoring).

European legislation in the making

On 22 December 2017, EU ambassadors (Permanent Representatives Committee) endorsed the deal concluded with the European Parliament on 29 November 2017 on revised common safety rules for civil aviation and a new remit for EASA. The reform includes the first-ever EU-wide rules for civil drones. It allows RPAs of all sizes to fly safely in European airspace and will bring legal certainty for this rapidly expanding industry.

The purpose of the new rules is to create the right conditions so that the EU has the capacity to handle the expected 50% increase in air traffic over the next 20 years, of which a lot is expected to come from the increasing use of drones. It’ll also ensure that the EU aviation sector is prepared for tough global competition.

Highlights of the proposed legislation

The rules on drones will provide the basic principles to ensure safety, security, privacy and the protection of personal data. There’ll also be rules on noise and emissions generated by drones, as is the case for any other aircraft.

Higher-risk drone operations will require certification, while drones presenting the lowest risk will simply need to conform with the normal EU market surveillance mechanisms. Drone operators must be registered if they operate drones that can transfer more than 80 joules of kinetic energy upon impact with a person. This threshold can be amended in the future without lengthy procedures by means of a delegated act to take account of developments in this area.

The proposed European approach is innovative and globally recognised as the best way forward to keep drone operations safe. The requirements don’t focus on the drone itself, but consider a range of elements such as where the drone is flown (over sea or over a city centre), who’s flying the drone (a child or a professional pilot) and what drone is being used (how heavy it is and what safety features it has).

Here below, we take a closer look at what’s currently in place:

The ‘open’ category of operations’

This category doesn’t require prior authorisation by the competent authority, nor a declaration by the operator, before the operation takes place. Safety is ensured through a combination of operational limitations, technical requirements for the machine and the competency of the remote pilot. Examples of operations that fall into this category are filming and taking photographs, infrastructure inspections and leisure activities in which the remote pilot keeps the unmanned aircraft in sight at all times.

The ‘specific’ category of operations’

This category requires authorisation by the competent authority before the operation takes place. Here, safe operations are guaranteed through a system in which the drone operator is required to carry out an operational risk assessment and put in place the resulting mitigation measures to obtain authorisation to fly the drone. Examples of this category are flights where the operator can no longer see the drone (BVLOS), flying over populated areas and operations with heavier drones.

EASA will also develop standard scenarios to make it simpler to obtain authorisations for well-defined operations (such as linear inspections conducted in BVLOS or crop spraying).

The ‘certified’ category of operations

Next to legislation for the open and specific categories, legislation for a third “certified” category to be part of the European Drone Legislation is being drafted and will be discussed. This will be for UAS operations that involve higher risks and therefore require certification of the drone and its operator, and licensing of the flight crew.

Some examples of this certified category can be found hereunder:

• Large or complex UASs operating continuously over open assemblies of people
• Large or complex UASs operating BVLOS in high-density airspace
• UASs used for the transportation of people
• UASs used for the carriage of dangerous goods, which may result in high risk for third parties in the event of a crash

In the legislation work, the good safety records of model flying clubs and associations are recognised and it’s been proposed to provide special allowances for them.

Important to note is that EASA is also taking the lead in U-space and has invited the industry to help it with concepts, proofs of concepts and making funds available via Horizon 2020. U-space is a critical link in the development of a safe innovative drone ecosystem, where unmanned and manned drones coexist in a friendly and effective way.

At the beginning of 2018, EASA published a first formal Opinion on safe operations for small drones in Europe. This formal Opinion is an important stepping-stone to keep drone operations safe and secure, and build a wider regulatory framework.

The Opinion also breaks new ground by combining product legislation and aviation legislation: design requirements for small drones (up to 25kg) which will be implemented by using the well-known CE (Conformité Européenne) marking for products bought on the market in Europe.

The Opinion follows a preceding consultation document (Notice of Proposed Amendment – published by EASA in May 2017) and takes into account thousands of comments received from private citizens, industry, operators and national authorities during a four-month public consultation period. A detailed impact assessment supported the initial consultation document.

The Opinion allows a high degree of flexibility for EASA Member States. They’ll be able to define zones where drone operations will be either prohibited or restricted (for example, to protect sensitive areas), or where certain requirements are alleviated (for example, areas dedicated to model aircraft).

How will the proposed legislation become law?

Once the agreed text has undergone legal-linguistic finalisation, it must be formally approved first by the European Parliament and then by the Council (agreement at first reading). Following adoption, the regulation will be published in the EU’s Official Journal. It’ll enter into force twenty days after publication. Optimistic sources expect the new European Drone Legislation to be approved late 2018/early 2019, with mandatory implementation and adoption in all the European Member States within a prescribed timeframe, still to be agreed.

Belgium preparing for European legislation

Technology driving new use cases benefitting the industry develops faster than law. In such a quickly evolving ecosystem, policy makers are having a tough time keeping up.

Soon after the appointment of Mr. François Bellot as Minister of Mobility, who’s very keen on creating opportunities to develop the new drone economy, several working groups were set up comprising representatives of the most important stakeholders. These teams mapped possible amendments to existing legislation that could offer solutions to the most burning issues and barriers.

For the time being, priority is on bundling all efforts to create European drone legislation that’ll have a huge impact on current Belgian drone legislation. Stakeholders will soon be actively involved in preparing the implementation of the new European drone legislation in Belgium.

 

巨大インフラプロジェクト、農業、鉱業に運輸。多数の業界にてドローンの利用が急増している。通信業界はドローンを早くから利用している業界の一つであり、ドローン技術から最大級のメリットを享受できると考えられている。なぜだろうか。

世界各国の通信会社に共通のことだが、ドローンを活用することで業務の効率化を図るとともに、インフラの保守点検、ドローンによって取得したデータの保存管理、ドローン交通管制センター設立など、ドローンを利用したサービスを提供する広範な新規事業への進出も視野に入るからである。
通信企業の現有設備や事業分野をもってすれば、こうした新規分野の多くで事業化が可能な大変有利な状況にあるのみならず、あらゆる産業においてドローンの利用が業務の本流となる
ように進歩を促すこともできる。その対価は巨額に上ると思われる。

PwCでは、ドローンを用いたソリューションの市場規模を1,270億米ドル以上と考えており、現時点で正しい投資決定を行うならば、通信会社はこの巨大な市場の相当部分を長年にわたって確保することができるだろう。

【日本企業に向けて】

最新のテクノロジーを活用したビジネスモデルの変革は、各企業がグローバルでの競争を勝ち抜く上で取り組むべき重要なテーマである。中でもドローンは、社会に重要なインパクトをもたらす技術の一つであり、農業から映画製作までさまざまな分野での活用が期待されている。

とりわけ通信企業は、ドローン技術と現有設備や事業分野との親和性が高く、ドローンを用いたインフラの保守点検、ドローンによって取得したデータの保存管理、ドローン交通管制センター設立など、ドローンを活用したさまざまな事業の創出を行える可能性があり、大変有利な立場にあるといえる。本レポートでは、通信企業がドローンを用いて新たな収益源をどのように創出できるかについて事例を用いて示すとともに、ドローンを活用した新事業を成功させるための要因および取り組むべき問題点を解説する。

変貌する通信業界環境

世界の通信業界は変化の荒波のただ中にあり、PwCのStrategy&の直近の調査によれば、近年、変化はますますそのスピードを増している。

歴史的に見ると、今日の通信業界は、主に三つの波に乗って発展、成長してきた。第一の波は音声通信であり、第二の波はメッセージ通信、第三の波はデータ通信である。
このうち、第一の波と第二の波から誕生した旧来のサービス、すなわち音声通信とメッセージ通信は、インターネットサービス企業に取って代わられつつあり、メッセージ通信ではすでに市場の80%以上を占めている。

その影響を受けて、通信業界にはコモディティ化の圧力がますます強くかかっており、ユーザー1人当たりの平均収入は、営業地域にもよるが、年率1%~10%の割合で減少していることがPwCのStrategy&の調査によって判明している。

しかし、通信会社が直面する問題は、音声サービスやメッセージサービスのコモディティ化による価格圧力にとどまらない。
第三の波によるソリューション、すなわちデータ通信も、総収入がせいぜい横ばいという状況下において、能力の強化がますます求められることから巨額の設備投資が必要となり、使用総資本利益率の低迷という問題が生じている。

投資増と収益低迷による減益圧力に有効に対処するために、通信会社は三つのステップを踏む必要がある。

• 業務の合理化、更新によるコスト引き下げとマージン確保。
• 業務の中核であるコネクティビティ業務を再定義し、差別化を行ってプレミアム価格を可能とする。
• デジタル、IoTの垂直統合など、上流業務や隣接業務に進出する。

ドローンが通信会社の将来収益・コスト戦略を可能にする

ドローン技術は、通信会社によるこの三つのステップそれぞれの解決に重要な役割を担いうるものである。
例えば、業務の合理化、設備更新に関しては、ドローンを用いてネットワーク工事や保守管理プロセスの迅速化を図ることで効果効率の改善が可能であろう。

中核業務であるコネクティビティ業務を再定義して価格維持をするためには、Cat.M1やブロードバンドのコネクティビティを提供することでドローンを利用したソリューションの推進・管理へ進出することができるだろう。
デジタル・IoT関連新規事業への進出を考えている通信会社には、多くの上流・隣接市場において新種のソリューションの開発・提供にドローンが重要な役割を果たすであろう。

通信会社が直面している問題の多くは新技術の影響によるものであるが、ドローンの応用やドローンによって可能となるサービスは、新技術を業界の問題点から成長要因へと転換させる一大チャンスであろう。
新技術とその収束効果によって、通信会社には新たな道が生まれる。従来の事業からの収益は低迷するものの、新技術を応用することで通信会社には新たな収益源が誕生し、再度、成長軌道に乗ることもできるだろう。

以下、この新たな収益源を詳細に検討していきたい。

通信会社にとってのドローン関連ビジネス機会

収入源1:ドローンを用いたサービスを他の通信会社に提供する

ドローン技術を商業的に利用したサービスは市場が活況を呈しており、通信各社はドローンを用いたソリューションによる世界的大革新の潮流を後押ししている。通信インフラの迅速かつ安全
な点検にドローンの利用が増えつつあるが、ここにも商業利用で考えうるソリューションがある。
リアルタイムで正確かつ実際の地形を反映した3Dモデリングデータがあれば、基地局の備品管理や維持補修に革命をもたらし、投資計画策定やネットワーク最適化にも有用である。
さらに、こうしたデータはインテリジェントなドローンを用いたソリューションで安価に取得、分析することが可能である。
また、機械学習などのエマージングテクノロジーと組み合わせることができれば、そのメリットはさらに増加するだろう。

このようにドローンを用いたソリューションでまず自明な作業は、通信会社の内部コスト削減である。
石油・ガスや配電など、屋外にインフラを多く所有する企業の常であるが、ドローンを用いれば、通信会社も維持補修作業を迅速かつ効率的に行うことが可能となろう。

しかし、こうしたサービスは、他業種の企業や同業他社など社外に販売すれば収益源ともなりうる。すでにドローンを用い始めている通信会社もあり、ドローン関連サービスを他の通信会社に販売し、収益増を図ることを検討している。

これを実現するために、通信設備運用企業は、必要な技術を社内で開発するか、あるいはドローンサービスで定評のある企業を買収するなどの選択肢がある。
PwCは、通信業界でドローンソリューションを採用した場合の最大市場は保守管理向けであり、ほぼ60億米ドルに達すると考えている。

通信業界の備品管理とネットワーク計画策定向けドローンサービスの市場価値は、合計で4億米ドル程度となるであろう。

「ドローンは通信会社の電波塔領域で大きな役割を果たすことができます。
ドローンから得られるデータを用いれば、電波塔の備品管理や保守管理に、迅速かつ安全な点検を行えます。
このようなソリューションは世界各国で多数の企業がその有効性を確認済みです。
ドローンで取得するデータは、投資計画策定の効率を高め、ネットワーク最適化プロセスのサポートにも使えます」

– Jad Hajj, Partner at Strategy&, part of the PwC network

ドローンによる保守管理

通信業界におけるドローン技術の主たる利用目的は、通信会社のインフラの備品管理と維持補修のためのモニタリングである。
サービスを途切れることなく提供するために、電波塔は定期的な点検が必要であり、正確な空間イメージ取得が可能なドローンは、点検プロセスを迅速化し改善するために格好のツールである。

通信業界のインフラ関連で、ドローンはまず予防点検のサポート目的で使われ始めた。
このソリューションは大手通信インフラ運用会社数社が検証を終えて採用しており、タワー構造やアンテナが安全かつ効率的に点検可能となっている。

従来の点検プロセスでは、通信会社のフィールドエンジニアがタワーに赴き、これに登ってどのような作業が必要かを判断し、タワーから下りてスペアパーツや工具を持って再度タワーに登り、修繕を行うという手順が必要であった。

安全性と効率の改善

ドローンを用いれば、このプロセスは大部分が不要となり、標準装備にドローンを加えるだけで、フィールドエンジニアの作業は安全性が劇的に高まり、効率も大幅に改善される。
エンジニアはドローンから送られてくるリアルタイムのビデオを用いて必要な作業を予備評価し、電波塔の状態を確認する。そして必要な器具・ツールを全て持って電波塔に登ることができるため、スタジアムなどアンテナが多数設置されているイベント会場やタワーからの転落事故や感電事故のリスクが大幅に低下する。

多くの場合、ドローンを用いれば作業スピードや作業効率が従来の点検プロセスの数倍となり、電波塔に登る回数が減れば、作業員が負傷するリスクも比例して減ることになる。

年次運用・安全点検の最適化

通信設備の維持補修において、ドローンのメリットは空中からのイメージ取得やビデオ撮影にとどまらない。
写真測量法(平面写真から3Dモデルを作成するファイル)やレーザー光による検知と測距(レーザーセンサーを用いた測定法、LiDAR)を用い、電波塔の写真を数千枚も処理することで、地図測量法に則し、非常に正確な3Dモデルや正射写真地図(複数の写真をつなぎ合わせて測距可能で地理的に正しい配置のもの)を得ることができる。

技術を駆使して得られた図をCAD*と統合すれば、遠隔地から最終分析を行うことも可能となる。基地局は毎年目視による点検を行い、その状態が運用や保守管理要員の安全に問題がないと確
認することを考えると、この機能は大変貴重である。
こうした要件を満たすべく、非常に正確な3Dモデルでは、各基地局やその機器の状態を非常に正確に表示し、各アンテナの取り付け高さ、傾斜や方位角、電波塔自体の垂直偏差など、正確な測定値を得ることができる。

この技術は、電波塔にアンテナを新たに取り付ける場合にも、準備段階で取り付け金具などの部品の正確なサイズを知ることができるなど、大変有用である。さらに、ドローンで取得した高解
像度写真を用いれば、タワーの土台やアンカー、構造、アンテナや伝送線、さらにはフェンスや道路、セキュリティなど敷地を取り巻く環境に至るまで、技術的状態を評価することが可能である。

つまり、構造損傷、接触不良、腐食、汚染など、誤動作や欠陥は、遠隔地で発見、分析し、その後現地で対処することが可能になるのである。

鳥類保護法令順守

電波塔上、あるいは電波塔近辺に鳥が営巣した場合、ドローンを用いてこれを検知することが可能であるが、これも保守管理の効率性向上のもう一つの例である。
基地局タワーは通常、木の梢よりも高い位置にあり、アンテナが営巣に格好の構造物であることから、タワー上に好んで営巣する鳥類が多い。
渡り鳥や絶滅危惧種の鳥の営巣を妨げる行為を禁止している国も多く、鳥や環境には優しいものの、運用中のタワーに営巣されると、通信会社には非常に不便なこととなる。

ドローンを用いれば、鳥が営巣している場合であっても、これを妨げることなく電波塔の頂上部を点検することができ、巣の有無や電波塔上の機器の状態を観察することができる。従来の、鳥類専門家が双眼鏡で観察するという手法に比べると、効率性や正確性がはるかに改善され、所要時間も数日単位から数分単位へと短縮され、鳥類やその巣を保護しつつ、通信会社作業員の安全も確保することができる。

緊急時には迅速かつ安全な対応が可能に

電波塔の点検など、ドローン技術は定型作業にも大変有用であるが、緊急時に到達困難な場所で技術者の安全を確保しつつコネクティビティを復旧させるなど、迅速かつ綿密な管理下での対応
が求められる場合にこそ、ドローンはその真価を発揮する。ドローンは、ハリケーンや暴風雨などの自然災害後、ネットワークを点検し、コネクティビティを復旧させるための完璧なソリューションを提供する。

実際、ドローンはすでに大洪水の影響を受けた基地局の点検に投入されている。
こうしたドローンは機器に損傷のある場合はその情報を取得し、数時間単位での基地局復旧を可能にしている。

さらに、通信会社のドローン利用で潜在性の高いサービスの例に、自動化が進む点検プロセスのサポートがあげられる。
通信業界のドローン技術応用で大変革をもたらす可能性のある技術はいくつもあるが、そのトップには機械学習があげられる。
演算能力の急向上と小型化の進行により、高性能で自律的、かつ学習能力を有する新世代のマシンを構築することができるクレジットカード大のプロセッサが入手可能となっており、持ち運んで分析作業を実行させることができる。

ごく近い未来、ドローンが人の介入なしに基地局タワーの点検を実行し、リアルタイムの分析レポートを作成し、スペアパーツの運搬や、さらには小規模の修繕作業まで自律的に実行するようになる可能性は高いであろう。

備品管理向けドローン利用

写真測量法と画像データ分析システムを備えたドローンは、基地局タワーの保守点検に有用であるが、同様に、通信会社や電波塔運営会社には基地局の備品管理に用いることができる。
過去20年間、通信会社のインフラ所有形態は世界的に発展し、さまざまな電波塔所有形態、運用構造が開発されてきた。とはいえ、所有モデルにかかわらず、全市場参加者に共通の課題は、電波塔に設置した装置の追跡である。

こうした作業には、高解像度カメラを取り付けたドローンが最適である。
アンテナやその他の無線機器のバーコードやシリアルナンバーを読み取るのみならず、電波塔の3Dモデルを作成して遠隔地からアンテナの取り付け位置や無線の通信可能範囲を分析するなど、タワーのスペース管理改善に役立つ。
また、こうした情報からは、使用料請求や使用契約向けに、実稼働スペース利用状況を把握することもできる。

さらに、ドローンを用いて収集した画像データは全て写真測量法で処理してデンシファイド・ポイント・クラウドや3Dモデルなどの地理空間出力を生成、CADデータと統合して詳細な分析を
行うこともできる。
通信会社は所与の電波塔のアンテナや送信機の詳細な寸法や傾きなど、高品質な情報を入手でき、これは大きなメリットである。また、データは全てクラウド上に保存可能であり、通信会社のデジタル資産管理や情報システムを最も効率よく運用することが可能となる。

ドローンは、電波塔の売買に要するコストや時間の削減にも有用である。
電波塔の所有形態は世界的に発展しており、エマージング市場ではその発展に弾みがついている中、多数の電波塔が売買されており、迅速で信頼性の高いネットワーク資産管理方法が求められている。
ドローンを用いればこのプロセスを大幅に改善することができ、取得したデータは、通信会社のネットワーク資産管理システムに組み込んで戦略的なネットワーク計画策定、設計、建設、サービス保証などに用いることができる。

ドローンを用いたネットワーク計画策定・最適化

近年、ドローンの積載量が増加し、センサー類の小型化も進んでいるが、こうした技術進歩のおかげで、ネットワーク計画策定・最適化の分野で新たな応用の可能性が見えてきた。
一例として比較的実装が容易なものに無線電波塔間のLoS(Line-of-Sight)テストがあり、これは樹木や建造物などの障害物の検知に用いられている。LoSテストの結果を用いれば、樹木の影響を受ける特定の周波数を使わない、アンテナを適切な高さに設定する、さらには基地局の所在地を変更するなどの適切な対応を取ることができる。

より進んだ応用例では、ドローンにアンテナからの信号を検知するセンサーを搭載する。
これにより、技師は自動的にアンテナからの信号の受信可能エリアを測定し、電波放射パターンをマッピングすることができる。

この機能は、スタジアムなど特に巨大なイベント会場のマッピングに重要である。スポーツイベント中などは、全ての観客に完璧なユーザー体験を提供することが必要であるが、これには各座席の通信状況、アップロード/ダウンロードスピード、待ち時間などの分析を行う必要があり、ドローンが活用できる。
ドローンは干渉波を検知できる場合も多く、発信元までたどることができる。

従来の分析方法では、多数の技師が計器をバックパックに入れてスタジアムを歩き回るといったプロセスが用いられていたが、ドローンを用いれば、この作業時間は大幅に削減され、プロセスの単純化が可能となり、場合によっては従来1週間かかっていた作業が、わずか数時間で完了することも考えられる。

図1:ドローン技術で改善されたLoSテストプロセス

1. ドローンを操作して、アンテナタワーに取り付けられた機器を特定する
2. 通信インフラに設置された機器
3. 無線/インターネット信号
4. アンテナタワー周辺の地図作成
5. 障害物によりアンテナタワーと受信者間のコネクティビティが損なわれる
6. 信号受信者

ネットワークの輻輳対策

自然災害や巨大イベントなどで需要増を満たすのに十分なネットワークが確保できないために輻輳が発生した場合、ドローンは大変貴重である。
こうした場合にネットワークのパフォーマンスを向上させてデータ転送を増加させるか、あるいは緊急通話を復旧させるために、通信会社は可動型通信タワー(Cell on Wheels、COW)を出動させることがある。

これはトラックに移動通信タワーを載せたもので、特定の地域を対象に、カバレッジ(受信可能範囲)の増強を図るものである。ドローンは堅牢性が向上してきており、こうした用途で使用することが可能となってきた。すでに実地検証も完了している。

ドローンは、トラック搭載の移動通信に比べ、多くの利点がある。
まず、ドローン搭載 COWは伝統的なCOWに比べ小型であり、配備が容易であり、柔軟性に優れている。

このため、特に緊急時や不測の障害などの場合に有用である。さらに、ドローン搭載COWは、移動通信タワー(通常、高さは100メートル以内)よりも高所でホバリングできることから、従来のトラック搭載COWよりもカバレッジが広い。
こうしたドローンは、その役割に鑑み、係留型にするのが良いであろう。

電力やコネクティビティを供給する電線やケーブルで基地局に接続されたドローンが該当する。
こうした堅牢なドローンは、ホバリング可能時間の制約がほとんどなく、物理的に接続されていることから高速データ転送が可能であり、強風や濃煙など、悪条件下でも操作可能である。

収入源2:複数の産業にドローン運航管理システムやソリューションを提供する

ドローンは、通信業界内で収入源となり、あるいは経費削減の機会を提供するのみならず、さまざまな産業において異なったレベルのサービスレイヤーで通信会社に広範な収入源をもたらす可能性がある。

インフラサービス収入

ドローンによるコネクティビティ、データ転送サービス

ドローンはさまざまな産業において広範な作業に用いることができる多用途プラットフォームである。
こうした作業の多くは、石油掘削施設点検の LiDARデータセットから緊急捜索・救援活動の高解像度ライブ配信ビデオまで、さまざまな種類の画像取得に関連するものである。
ドローンはこうした作業に最適のツールであるが、作業中、相当量のデータが生成される。例えば、標準的な高解像度カメラを搭載したマルチロータードローンで点検を一回実施した場合、生成されるデータは平均して50ギガバイトに達する。

また、長時間飛行できる固定羽根ドローンを使用した場合や、LiDARなどのセンサーを搭載した場合、生成されるデータはこの数倍になる。
データは、リアルタイムでの詳細な状況を把握するために、また最新の情報に基づいて迅速な対応を取るために、直ちに運航センターへ転送しなければならない場合も多い。

ドローン開発業が発展、成長を続けるにつれ、ドローンからの情報取得に適した大容量データ転送サービスが通信会社にとって大きな収入源になるであろう。
信頼性が高く持続可能なデータ転送サービスを確立、維持できれば、これは企業などでデータと業務を統合するために必須な機能であり、ドローンを用いたソリューション市場の発展を可能にする重要な要素である。
PwCの分析によれば、ドローン産業向けデータ転送ソリューションによる通信会社の新規収入は25億米ドルに達する可能性がある。

同時に、通信会社は世界的に拡大中のレクリエーション用ドローン市場の発展からも大きなメリットを得られるだろう。
ドローンをSNS上で人気のライブストリーミングと組み合わせれば、通信会社のデータ転送サービス収入は10億米ドル近く増える可能性がある。

ドローンからのデータのクラウド保存サービス

ドローンのデータ管理プロセスでもう一つの重要な要素がデータの保存である。
画像データや規制上、あるいは運用上必要であるために生成された分析用出力は、ステークホルダーが容易にアクセスできるように保存する必要がある。

一方、鉱業におけるモデリングプロセスや建設業、インフラ運営におけるビルディング・インフォメーション・モデリング(BIM)用のデータは、セキュアなクラウド上にアクセス可能な形で保存する必要があり、その期間は数十年に達する場合もある。

近い将来、広範な産業でドローンソリューションが急速に普及、利用されるようになることを考えれば、データ保存に対する需要が増加し、通信会社にとって逃すことのできないビジネス機会となることが考えられる。
PwCではドローン関連のデータ保存サービスからの収入は10億米ドルに達する可能性もあると考えている。

プラットフォームサービスからの収入

ドローン交通管制センター

ドローン関連の収入源として可能性が高く、通信会社の成長源となりうるものに、ドローン運航の安全・セキュリティ対策がある。
ドローンは有人航空機と同一空間に共存するが、現行の交通管制システムは低空を飛行するドローンの管理には不十分である。

連邦航空局によれば、米国で2015年以降4にドローンを登録したドローンユーザーは82万人を超えており、運用されているドローンの数は急速に増加している。
このため、世界各国の航空局は、有人航空機の安全を確保すべく、低空を飛行するドローンを効率的に管理できるシステムを求めている。
大規模通信ネットワークを運営する通信会社は、空中を往来するドローンを監視するドローン交通管制センターを展開するために必要なインフラを所有しており、ドローン技術採用に伴う大きなリスクの一部を大幅に軽減することができる。

ドローンの運航で人間や有人航空機、第三者の資産の安全が損なわれてはならないが、これはドローン技術を開花させる環境を構築するために解決すべき大きな問題である。
これがドローン交通管制センターで解消されれば、通信会社の収益源となる。

ドローン技術は無責任なユーザーの手に渡ると危険であると見なされる。
このため世界各国で他人に危害を加える恐れのある行為や不法行為を防止するメカニズムの開発に多大な努力が払われている。

発展を続けるドローンエコシステムのさまざまな参加者の中で、この問題に真っ先に取り組み始めたグループにドローン生産者があり、ジオフェンスなどの技術を実装してドローンが空港や軍事施設など所定の場所へ接近することを防止した。
しかし、こうした技術では、ドローン技術の無責任な使用を完全に防止することはできず、また、無責任な使用に対して罰則を科すこともできない。
そして、この問題は、航空安全に責任を有する当局や業界団体が間もなく解決する見込みである。
通信インフラの運営者は、先端技術を扱う能力を有しており、当局や業界団体がドローン交通管制システムを展開する支援を行うために理想的な立ち位置にあるといえるだろう。

完全に機能するドローン交通管制センターは、特定の空域で運航されている全ドローンを識別し、追跡することができる。
最も先進的で効果的にこれを達成する方法は、ドローンとLoRaWAN5やLTE-M6といったIoTグレード環境上に構築されたゲートウェイ間の双方向通信を用いる方法であり、いずれの技術も、先進の通信インフラ運営会社にとってなじみ深いものである。

つまり、すでにLoRaWANまたはLTEグレードのプロトコルを業務上実装済みの通信会社はドローン交通管制センターの展開で中心的な役割を果たすことができる有利な状況にある。
通信タワー上のLoRaWANゲートウェイなど既存のインフラに新たな機器を実装し、あるいはインフラを調整してLTEプロトコルのM2M(Machine to Machine) 版であるLTE-Mをサポートすることで、通信会社は既存の資産や技術力を活用し、ドローン交通管制センターなど広範な新規サービスを提供することができる。

ドローン運航が人や有人航空機の安全やセキュリティを損なわないように管理するドローン管制センターの機能を考えれば、各国の政府や民間航空局がその展開に高い関心を寄せていること
もうなずける。
通信インフラ運営会社は当局のドローン管制センター開発・設立を支援し、その運営を担当することで手数料収入を得ることができるだろう。
そして、これは相当大きな収入源になると思われる。

PwCは、ドローン交通管制センターの市場規模が世界で187億米ドルに達する可能性があり、その新規収入の大半がセンターの展開に関するものであると予測している。
こうした収入は、通信会社のインフラ拡充、機能向上の投資に振り向けることもできるだろう。
既存の資産や技術を有効利用することで、通信会社はその競争力を強化することもできるのである。

データ分析とAIを活用して予測検知を提供、自律機能をサポートする

もう一つ、潜在的に可能性が高い分野に、先進のデータ分析と人工知能(AI)を用いて予測検知を実現し、進歩を続ける自動化・自律化をサポートするサービスがあげられる。
前節では、こうした技術が通信タワーの自動点検実施に革命的変革をもたらしうる旨を記述している。

しかし、この応用分野はこれにとどまらない。
どのような産業であれ、機械学習が導入できれば、複雑な作業の実施方法を自ら学習するAIアルゴリズムを用い、類似のソリューションをコンピューターに提供するだけで、コンピューターが問題を解決する。明示的にプログラムを組む必要もない。
さまざまな学習を行ったAIアルゴリズムは、リアルタイムの写真やビデオストリームなどのデータに基づき、非常に正確な予測を行うことが可能であり、人間や機械による意思決定の質や適時性を大きく向上させるであろう。
ドローンを用いれば、これに必要なデータを迅速、容易、安全に取得、分析することができる。

ドローン技術の採用が増加しているが、この関連で通信会社の収入源になりうるものに、自律性のサポートがある。
自律的に任務を遂行することのできるドローンは、ドローン業界の最終目標であり、将来の「第四の産業革命」を引き起こすカギである。
こうしたドローンに自律的に任務を遂行させ、取得したデータをリアルタイムで送信させるために、現行のWi-Fiや無線通信規格は不十分であり、現在、視野に入っている中でこれを解決できる唯一のソリューションは高速無線通信である。

通信会社は4Gネットワークサービスを拡張、その信頼性を高めることで、完全自律型ドローンの運用を可能とし、大きな新収入源を開拓することができる。

あらゆる産業や技術を眺めてみると、近年のハードウェア面の技術革新では、飛行ロボット工学が産業に多大な影響を与える可能性が高いものの一つに数えられている。
あらゆる資本集約型産業、さらに農業やメディアなどその他の一部産業においても、革命的変革につながる可能性がある。
この技術はアクセスが容易であり、広範なメリットが得られるため、近い将来、商業利用のドローンが多数、空を飛び回ることになるだろう。
通信会社は積極的役割を担ってこの爆発的成長を誘引することのできる条件を全て満たしており、ここから得られる価値も増加していくであろう。

垂直産業における応用とソリューションサービスからの収入

前述のように、PwCの「ドローン・パワード・ソリューション」のグローバル拠点であるセンター・オブ・エクセレンスは2016年5月に世界のドローン産業に関するレポート第一号を発表している。
「Clarity from Above」と題するこのレポートでは、ドローン市場の潜在価値を合計で1,270億米ドル以上と推計している。

さまざまな産業のプレイヤーがこの価値の分け前にあずかろうと計画しているが、既存の技術力やコネクティビティを有する通信会社が有利な立ち位置にある。
こうした資産で、他業界の企業よりもずっと容易にドローンを用いたソリューションを展開できるからである。
通信業界は活況を呈する市場に早期参入し、既存の資産や技術力を活用して新たな収入を得ることができるだろう。

こうした潜在的収入源には、さまざまな業界のクライアントに専門家の運用するドローンサービスを提供する業務があり、サービスとしてクライアント保有のドローンを運用する。
飛行管理、クライアントに合わせた垂直ソリューション、パイロットや管制官、垂直産業スペシャリストなどの専門家派遣などがこれに含まれる。
こうしたビジネス機会を追求する際、通信会社が考えなければならない問いに、どこまでサービススタックをさかのぼるべきか、競争力が強い分野は何か、といったものがある。
これに答えたのち、必要とされる資産や技術のうち、何を保有しており、何が開発可能で、何を買収や提携で外部から調達しなければならないかを検討することになる。

今後に目をやると、数年以内に多数の国において「目視外飛行(BVLOS)」による運航が許可されるだろう。
BVLOS 運航にはコネクティビティが必要であるが、通信会社は各地に分散してインフラを保有しており、他業界の企業に比べ大変有利な立ち位置にある。
外部調達が必要な資産や技術を取得する場合、通信会社はドローンサービス市場の参加者を買収することもできるが、市場は現時点で未成熟であり、一から運航体制や技術を社内開発することも検討すべきであろう。

今日、ドローン・サービス・プロバイダーが直面している問題の一つに、稼働率の低さがあげられる。
通信会社は自身のインフラを有しており、社内に構築するドローン・サービス・プロバイダーはこうしたインフラに容易にアクセスできることから、急速に習熟度を上げていくこともできるだろう。

これら全ての意味するところは、通信会社がさまざまな垂直産業においてドローン関連の収入の実現を追求するのに有利な立ち位置にあるということである。
以下に、主なビジネス機会を、PwC が推定した市場価値を含めて提示する。

インフラ

PwCの分析によれば、インフラ分野の市場価値は450億米ドル以上と、ドローンを利用したソリューションの市場価値全体の三分の一以上を占めており、この分野向けの開発は最優先
事項であろう。インフラ産業向けソリューションは、エネルギー、製造、運輸インフラなどの投資モニタリング、維持補修、資産管理など、多岐にわたる。

農業

ドローンを利用したソリューションで特定可能な市場価値が2番目に大きいものは農業分野であり、PwCの推計では、潜在市場価値は324億米ドルに達する。
農業でドローン技術を利用すれば、農作物の成長期の初めから、収穫の計画立案や実際の収穫までその状況をモニターすることができる。

ドローンを利用したソリューションに先進の分析技術を加えれば、土壌の水分量や必要とされる肥料の量までモニターすることも可能となるだろう。
こうした技術は、ドローンを環境保護に用いる際にも利用できる。

運輸

ドローン市場で潜在的市場価値が3番目に大きい分野は運輸であり、130億米ドルと推定され、さまざまな物品輸送が含まれる。
ドローンを用いた小包配達という概念が近年大いに注目されているが、その他のソリューションには、血液や除細動器の緊急搬送、スペアパーツの倉庫への配達などの製造工程自動化支援などが考えられる。

セキュリティ

ドローンは、セキュリティ分野でも、企業や政府関係機関向けに空の目としてさまざまな応用例が考えられる。
ドローンソリューションの自動化が進み、やがて、完全自律型ソリューションが開発され、特定の地域を対象に効果が高いさまざまなタイプの監視・セキュリティサービスが提供されるようになるだろう。
PwCでは、セキュリティ分野でドローンソリューションの市場価値はいずれ105億米ドルに達すると考えている。

「ドローンサービス市場は近い将来、目覚ましい規模へと発展、成長を遂げると思われます。
ドローンはあらゆる国やさまざまな産業で揺籃期から実験段階へ、そして日々の業務の主要手段へと急速に成長しています。
ドローンの採用、利用が増え続けている中、データ転送やデータ保管、自律型開発など、関連サービスのビジネス機会も増加しています。
こうしたサービス全てにおいて通信会社は有利な立ち位置にあり、一部サービスでは圧倒的に有利な状況となっています。

とはいえ、米国をはじめとする多くの国において、技術の進歩に規制の枠組みが追い付いていません。
つまり、通信会社は公共政策や規制当局の意図に十分な注意を払う必要があるのです。
問題が発生しそうな場合、積極的に対策を取る必要がありますが、この問題は、往々にして過剰規制ではなく、規制の欠如に由来するのです」

– Florian Gröne, Partner at Strategy&, part of the PwC network

メディアおよびエンタテイメント

ドローン技術利用がすでに確立している産業の一つにメディアとエンタテイメントがあり、ドローンソリューション市場は88億米ドルと推定される。
ドローンは、大ヒット間違いなしの航空写真撮影のみならず、低予算のプロモーションビデオ制作にも使われている。
ドローン技術の応用で「ドローンジャーナリズム」と称するまったく新しいジャーナリズム分野も発達しつつある。

保険

次は保険業界であり、市場価値は68億米ドルと推定される。
保険業界でのドローン利用は、リスクのモニタリングや評価から損害防止、最小化まで多岐にわたっている。
保険金請求管理にドローンを用いれば、従来の手法よりも効果的なだけでなく、スタッフが危険ゾーンに立ち入る必要がなくなるため、スタッフの労働環境も大きく改善される。

鉱業

主要産業のうち、ドローンソリューションの利用で最後にあげるものは鉱業であり、潜在市場価値は43億米ドルである。
ドローンは探鉱から建設、採掘、廃鉱後のモニタリングと、炭鉱ライフサイクルのほとんどあらゆる段階で用いることができる。

通信会社のドローン戦略における成功要因と問題点

主な成功要因3点と…

PwC の分析によれば、通信業界におけるドローンを用いたソリューション採用を推進させたのは、三つの成功要因があるとしている。

1. 規制の緩和

近年、ドローンがデジタル経済の主要要素であることがますます明らかになってきている。
これに対応して、多くの国の規制当局もドローンの商業目的運航に関する規制を緩和し、同時にガイドラインやトレーニングを提供するようになってきている。
ドローンの飛行最高高度や第三者や構造物からの最小距離などに関する規制が緩和され、人口集中地域の上空を飛行することも可能となった結果、新たな使用法が考え出されるようになってきた。

とはいえ、自律飛行や目視外飛行に対する規制は残っており、これらが緩和されれば、通信業界で使える新たな利用法が開拓されるであろう。
例えば、ドローンを目視外飛行させれば、光ファイバーネットワークや電力線搬送通信など、通信会社の大規模ネットワークインフラを遠隔地からモニターすることが可能となる。

2. データ処理およびアクセス可能性の向上

どのようなデバイスからであっても、高い信頼性で即座にデータにアクセス可能かつデータ分析も可能なサービスの開発が通信会社のドローン関連事業で重要なカギとなるであろう。
例えば、ドローンを用いて遠隔地から電波塔の点検を実行中の技術者は、電波塔やその敷地で見つかった問題点を即時に知り、クラウド上で追加分析を行うことができればと考えるであろう。データ処理や情報へのアクセスに必要な時間を短縮することが、通信会社のドローン技術実装を加速させる主要手段となるであろう。

3. 迅速な技術開発

技術は日々進歩しており、ドローンや「無人自動ビークル(UAVs)」のコストも下がってきている。これにより、ドローンの利用が拡大し、利用可能なソリューションの数も増えている。
さらに、水素燃料電池などの新技術による電池容量の増加や、障害物回避システム、ソフトウェアの開発により、通信会社がドローンで実現できるサービスの範囲は今後も拡大を続けるであろう。

「世界各国でドローンソリューション市場と規制当局のドローン業界への規制アプローチは足並みが揃ってきています。
これは、当局が完璧に機能するデジタル経済におけるドローンの重要性を理解するようになってきているからです。

一部の規制は残っているものの、全体的方向性は明らかです。
今後の規制の方向性とは、すでに盛況なドローンサービス市場のさらなる発展を可能とする規制体系を作り上げることにより、消費者やあらゆる産業の企業に利益をもたらすことです」

– Mohammad Chowdhury, PwC TMT industry leader in Australia, SE Asia and New Zealand

…二つの主要な問題点

とはいえ、ドローンを利用したソリューションをインフラ企業の業務プロセスに統合するためには問題点が何点かあり、そのうち2点が特に重要である。

1. 飛行リスク

ドローン、特に自律型ドローン技術の可能性を全面的に実現するためには、ドローンとその他の航空機の衝突を防ぐ総合航空管制システムが必要である。
こうしたシステムがあれば、ドローンは障害物や他の航空機を検知、回避でき、同時に航空管制官と連絡を取ることも可能となる。
安全を維持するため、管制官は無人航空機と有人航空機双方に関するリアルタイムの情報にアクセスする必要があるだろう。

2. プライバシー

無人航空機は、通信業界に多大なメリットをもたらしたが、同時に、個人のプライバシーを尊重しつつドローンを運用する責任も生じている。
ドローン操縦者がさまざまな場所でドローンを飛行させると、大量のデータが収集されるが、中には個人の財産や行動に関して機密情報や機微にかかわる情報が含まれていることもあるだろう。

このリスクを考えると、企業のデータ保存方法、収集すべきでないデータ、個人や企業がプライバシー権を守る方法などについて、明確な国際的規則やガイドラインが必要である。
米国ではすでに「無人航空機システムのプライバシー、透明性および責任に関する自主的ベストプラクティス」が作成されているが、多くの国ではこの問題を適切に取り上げたガイドラインや規則が未制定である。
プライバシーという大変重要な問題への対応が明確になっていないことから、一部の企業はドローンを利用したソリューション採用に消極的である。

通信会社にとってジャストフィットの技術

ここまでに述べてきたように、ドローン技術の到来は通信企業に多くのメリットや収入源の可能性をもたらす。
安全性や効果が高く効率も良い通信インフラ管理・最適化から、さまざまなドローン関連のサービスやソリューションを新たな収入源とする可能性まで幅広いビジネスチャンスをもたらすドローンは、間違いなく通信会社にマッチした飛躍的技術進歩といえるだろう。

通信会社はこの機会を捉えようとしており、その多くがドローン技術の実証を完了し、一部は採用を開始している。
まだ初期段階にあるため、通信会社の目標は一般に、短期的には収支がプラスマイナスゼロを目指すといった程度のものであるが、速度や効率面ですでに相当程度のコスト削減を実現している。
ドローン関連の取り組みには引き続き投資を継続しており、これは、時とともに新たなビジネス機会や応用例が誕生し、ドローンベースの事業モデルがさらに有効性を高めるとの認識によるものである。

確かなことは、ドローン関連のビジネス機会は増加するということである。
単純にいえば、今こそ通信会社がドローン革命に加わる時である。
時機を逸すれば、今後何年も、先見性のある競合他社に追い付くべく慌てざるを得なくなるであろう。

PwCの「ドローン・パワード・ソリューション」について

「ドローン・パワード・ソリューション(DPS)」は欧州に拠点を持つグローバルPwCセンター・オブ・エクセレンスである。
このチームは、さまざまな地域や業種のクライアントがドローン技術の提供する可能性を最大限生かすことができるようにサポートを行っている。
2013年にはすでに第一号プロジェクトに取り組んでいるが、正式には2015年初頭にポーランドで設立、ドローン技術の産業・企業向け利用に特化し、プロのサービスを提供する世界初のコンサルタントチームである。

所在地にポーランドが選択されたのは偶然ではない。
ポーランドはドローンの産業利用に関する法制を早くも2013年に制定しており、世界でもこれを最初期に制定した国の一つである。

チームは設立以来、通信業界を含むさまざまな業種のクライアントとドローン技術をその業務に組み込む課題に取り組んできた。
また、機械学習とAIを用いて画像データ分析の改善に取り組んだ草分けにも数えられている。
PwC が戦略や業務の計画立案、実施に多くの経験を有していることから、チームはクライアントのハードウェア選択のみならず、完全かつ総合的な運用システム実装のサポートも行うことができる。

チームの能力には、戦略、プロセス改革、ITカスタマイズ化、視覚データ処理、分析などが含まれる。
こうしたさまざまな能力を有しているため、チームは徹底したサービスをクライアントに提供することができている。
また、包括的データセットの統合、提示、管理が可能なPwC Geospatial.Appという独自のデリバリーソフトウェアも開発しており、これを用いれば、意思決定を容易かつ瞬時に行うことができる。

チームは独自の経験、ソリューション、方法論を有しているが、これに安住することなく、クライアントがドローンの新たな現実世界で成功を収めるサポートを行うべく、常に新たなアイデアや技術の開発に努めている。

「AIの開発投資が大きい国」と聞いてどこを思い浮かべるでしょうか。シリコンバレーのあるアメリカ、深圳を中心にAIベンチャーの勢いの止まらない中国、テクノロジー大国インド、はたまたシンガポールやマレーシアなどのASEAN諸国を思い浮かべる方は多いのではないでしょうか。
しかし実際は、一位アメリカ、二位の中国に次いで、意外にも第三位は「イギリス」だということをご存知でしょうか。

The Telegraphによると、2019年上半期のイギリスのAI市場への投資額は約1億ドル (約100億円相当) となり、世界第三位の規模になったとのこと。この金額だけでも2018年度全体の金額を上回り、2014年と比較すると6倍にも増えています。
さらにAI企業数の観点ではイギリスはアメリカに次ぐ企業数を誇ります。注目すべきはそのAI企業の大多数が従業員数50人かそれ以下のスタートアップ企業であるということです。
イギリス・ロンドンのビジネスマネジメントコンサルティング会社であるTech Nation社のHarry Davis氏によると「今後 イギリスがこのAI市場の優位を保っていくためには、現実に即した問題解決をする国内AI企業の成長と展開、国際的な競争力を育てていく必要がある」と述べています。

その言葉の通り、AIビジネス大国としてイギリスは国民の生活に密着した問題の解決に役立つサービスを次々に発表しています。なかでも近年、イギリスにとって重要な課題となっているのは「医療」です。
イギリスは日本の国民保険にあたるNational Health Service (以下、NHS)があり、国民は歯科診療やその他の高度治療を除く診察や薬の処方が無償で受けられるシステムがあります。しかし、この社会保障制度は近年深刻な財政難に陥っており、ワーキングビザで就労する外国人にNHS費用の支払い金額を求める、さらに2018年には値上げするなどの対応がされています。(イギリス政府の発表に関する詳細はこちらから)

財政面の負担増によって慢性的な医療機関 (General Practice, 以下GP)・医師・看護師の不足、そして賃金問題が発生するばかりではなく、患者側にもGPの予約が取れないために満足な診療機会が得られないという深刻な問題が起きています。2019年、Cancer Research UKの発表により100,000人以上が早期ガンの診療機会を失っていることが明らかになりました。

このような問題のひとつの解決策として、AIによる機械学習を活用は注目されています。具体的には、スマートフォンのアプリケーション上で初期段階の簡易診断、健康上のアドバイスをするサービス「NHS111」がリリースされています。また、2019年にはスマートスピーカーのAmazon Alexaに問いかけることで医療アドバイスが得られるサービスを発表しています。AIによる過去の診療データベースに基づいた分析により、患者の初期症状緩和、ひいてはGPへの負荷軽減を目指した取り組みです。
しかしながら、その実態は一部の対応地域が適応外であったり、学習データベース強化中のため完全なアドバイスを期待できるものではないという状況なのです。実際、イギリス北部ヨークシャー地方からNHSアプリケーションを起動してみると、以下のようにサービスが対応外であることが分かります。このような現状を受けてイギリス人の中には「AIに頼る医療サービスはまだ現実的ではないのではないか」という意見も挙がっています。

(引用:NHS Online, 2019年9月現在)

とはいえ、AIのサービス化は一朝一夕に完成するものではありません。AIは多くの人に使われてデータを更新、学習を繰り返すことでその精度が向上します。最初からAIサービスに完全な対応を求めるのではなく、利用されるなかで試行錯誤を繰り返し強化学習をしていくことに大きな意味があるのです。その点でも国民保険サービスという国家レベルの施策でこのように積極的なテクノロジー活用が進められている様子を見るとさすがAI先進国、イギリスと感じずにはいられません。
イギリスAI企業はまさにこれから医療AIサービスの「実用化から高精度化へ」という課題を乗り越えるべく、邁進していく必要があるのです。

サービス化の前段階では「研究」というフェーズを欠かすことはできません。イギリスではAI研究も積極的に行われています。2019年9月ロンドン大学(University College London 、以下UCL)のチームによる研究結果を話題を集めています。
UCLの研究チームはAIの画像解析によってMRIスキャンによる心臓病の発見を、医師と同程度の正確性で行えることを発表しました。イギリス国内では毎年およそ15万件のMRIスキャンが行われています。AIによる診察が実用化されれば、各医療機関で1年で約54日分にもあたる医師の負荷軽減を実現できる見込みとのこと。医師の負荷が軽減されれば、より多くの患者の診療機会が増えるメリットがあります。
この研究も今後改良と実用化にむけたさらなる考察が必要とされていますが、イギリスの医療問題の解決に大きく期待できる発見であることに間違いはないでしょう。

イギリス特有の社会問題の解決という観点では、ホームレスの保護、医療対応にもAIが使われています。現在、イギリス国内には32万人以上のホームレスがおり、その社会保障提供にもAIが活用されています。StreetLinkというプラットフォームはチャリティの一貫として2012年から導入されたもので、医療対応が必要と思われるホームレスの情報を登録しアラートをあげることができるシステムです。
ホームレスを見かけた場所、性別、服の特徴、状況などを登録できるものですが、悪天候の場合などはその通報が多数寄せられ、対応の意思決定、優先順位づけの問題で7件の報告のうち1件ほどしかホームレスの発見につながらないという課題がありました。
このような状況を受けて、Alan Turing Instituteの研究チームは、過去の救出例、意思決定のデータから自動で優先順位づけを行う仕組みを導入することに成功しました。今後もより迅速な対応のためにStreetLinkが活用される見込みです。(詳細はこちらから)

「AIの開発投資が大きい国」、イギリスで目立つのはこのような国民の生活の質向上、健康問題と隣り合わせの深刻な課題解決にむけたAI活用です。
もちろんマーケティングや採用、退職抑止などビジネスシーンでのAI貢献も数多く実用例が増えていますが、イギリス国民の関心と期待を集めるのはご紹介したような「医療」分野での活用事例です。

このような先進的な取り組みは、日本においても大いに参考になるでしょう。「AIが発達したら人間の仕事が奪われるのでは?」という憶測が飛び交い、ぼんやりとAIに対する脅威を感じている方も多いかもしれません。
しかし、AIによる機械学習技術は私たちの暮らしを豊かに、より便利にするために使われるもので研究者たちはそのための調査や開発を日々続けています。決してAIは私たちを脅かす敵対関係にあるものではないのです。
少子高齢化、社会保障問題など、日本国民の深刻な課題の解決にAIが貢献する日も近いかもしれませ
ん。世界中で続けられているAI研究の発展には今後も大いに期待ができます。