Concept for a Unified Management and Sharing System for 'Off-Airport Landing Zones' Supporting Aerial Disaster Response Infrastructure
■ Overview:
The use of helicopters during disasters is a vital means of saving lives. However, the management of off-airport landing zones (hereinafter referred to as LZ) is fragmented among different operators such as disaster prevention helicopters, medical helicopters, and the Self-Defense Forces, and information sharing systems are only established at the level of neighboring prefectures.
This proposal aims to build a system that centrally manages and shares off-airport landing zones nationwide, realizing a framework where pilots(*) and commanders of any skill level can operate safely based on common information.
(*) Here, 'pilots of any skill level' refers to pilots who meet the minimum flight requirements stipulated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
■ Challenges:
Even when instructed to 'land at XX Elementary School' during a disaster, buildings had been washed away by a tsunami, making it impossible to visually confirm or land (Great East Japan Earthquake).
Multiple aircraft concentrated in limited flat areas, causing interference in airspace and on the ground (Noto Peninsula Earthquake).
Subjective judgments based on on-site surveys that rely on individual operating companies.
Uncertainty regarding the use of off-airport sites by support aircraft from other prefectures.
Potential difficulty in confirming safety during the initial response phase when ground support teams cannot be deployed.
■ Objective: Development of social infrastructure where 'whoever flies or whoever commands, they can provide the same level of aerial assistance.'
■ Specific Elements of the Business Concept:
① Creating a database of off-airport landing zones nationwide
Registering latitude, longitude, elevation, size, surface conditions, surrounding obstacles, and photo/video information.
Utilizing 360-degree views and drone footage if possible.
② Building a common platform
A system that can be viewed and updated by disaster prevention helicopters, medical helicopters, and the Self-Defense Forces.
Management and updates are within the scope of the project. Actual operations are handled by each local government and operator.
③ Classification of 'locations where landing is possible with minimal judgment' that do not require ground support teams
Pre-designation of off-airport sites with structural conditions that allow for safety confirmation even in the absence of support personnel.
④ Promotion through a private-public partnership model
Local governments and helicopter operators jointly manage LZ information
Coordination with disaster drills and regional disaster prevention plans (hazard maps)
5. Proposal for closed network operation for the Self-Defense Forces
LZ search within a dedicated network, assuming deployment during emergencies
Example: Search based on aircraft conditions, such as 'locations where 2 UH-60s and 1 CH-47 can deploy simultaneously'
6. Secondary deployment: Evacuation app for the general public
'If you evacuate here, a helicopter will come to pick you up'
Can also be utilized as a disaster prevention education tool for citizens
■ Assumed implementation flow:
Phase 1: Trial collection of LZ information and demonstration in small areas in cooperation with operators and local governments
Phase 2: Expansion through cooperation with the Self-Defense Forces and the national government / introduction to exercises, etc.
Phase 3: Establishment of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and management systems for nationwide deployment
■ Benefits (by stakeholder):
Operators: Reduction in costs for on-site surveys and re-verification, faster decision-making
Local governments: Improved operational capability of disaster prevention helicopters, can also be used for disaster prevention PR to citizens
Self-Defense Forces: Deployment under a unified command structure, information sharing infrastructure that can withstand changes in commanders
Citizens: It becomes clear 'where to evacuate'
■ Conclusion:
This is not just app development.
What we are aiming for is the creation of a mechanism that allows everyone to receive 'help from the sky' equally. If systems and technology are in place, high-performance helicopters can be utilized more effectively. To make the sky we have more usable, we first want to make 'being able to land' the norm—this is a proposal from the field to achieve that.