April 1, 2020 Technical Requirements for Using Mobile Phones on Unmanned Aircraft (e.g., Drones) in the Sky

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) received a partial report from the Information and Communications Council (Chaired by Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Toyota Motor Corporation) on March 31 of this year. The report specifies the technical requirements for using mobile phones on unmanned aircraft (e.g., drones) in the sky in partial response to inquiry number 2038 about the technical requirements for new-generation mobile communications systems (October 12, 2016).

1. Background

Along with an expansion of fields that use drones, there has been a growing need in recent years to equip drones with mobile phones with a wide service area for high-speed, large-capacity data transmission and to use them for drone control and image or data transmission. On the other hand, the mobile phone system presupposes that mobile phones are used on land. Using a mobile phone in the air may cause interference with other mobile phones used on the ground and other systems that use nearby frequencies.

With consideration of this background, the Information and Communications Council has been studying the technical requirements for installing mobile phones on drones and using them in the air. On March 31 of this year, MIC received a partial report from the Information and Communications Council regarding the results of the study.

2. Summary of partial report

The outline of the partial report on the technical requirements for using mobile phones on unmanned aircraft (e.g., drones) in the sky will be available for viewing and distributed at the Land Mobile Communications Division, Radio Department, Telecommunications Bureau (the 10th floor of the Second Building of the Central Common Government Office).

3. Future plans

MIC will promptly prepare related regulations based on the partial report.