Drone AI company NearsLab (CEO Choi Jae-hyuk) has signed an MOU with leading Japanese company SoftBank and is set to enter the Japanese market with AI autonomous drones in earnest. This collaboration is significant in that it marks a turning point for expanding market influence beyond technological cooperation, based on the trust the two companies have built over the past five years.
Through this MOU, NearLab plans to cooperate with SoftBank to fully supply its small AI autonomous drone AiDEN and drone station to the Japanese market and increase its market share. SoftBank also expects to be able to further strengthen its AI business portfolio based on NearLab’s unique autonomous flight technology.
The collaboration between the two companies stems from a relationship of trust that has continued since 2020. Nearslab established a partnership with Softbank by starting to supply safety inspection drones, and in 2024, they attracted attention from the industry by jointly introducing Aiden at Japan Drone 2024, Japan's largest exhibition.
In particular, after signing this MOU, NearLab conducted a demonstration for SoftBank and related partners in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Beyond a simple flight demonstration, it showed Aiden and Drone Station working together through a scenario-based demonstration assuming an actual industrial site, leaving a deep impression on those involved in the field.
Since 2019, SoftBank has been strengthening its AI business and investing in or strengthening cooperation with global AI companies. Recently, it led a $40 billion (KRW 58.5 trillion) investment in Open AI. This agreement with Near Labs is also part of this strategy and is expected to be an important stepping stone for expanding its influence in the drone AI field.
Choi Jae-hyeok, CEO of NearLab, said, “The five-year collaboration with SoftBank has provided us with an opportunity to advance into Japan, a leader in the precision machinery and robot markets. As it possesses both symbolism and practicality, it will be a decisive opportunity to expand our share of the Japanese drone market.”
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