Japanese Giant NTT Will Arm Drones with Lasers for Farm Protection
Farms around the world, including those in Japan, are suffering catastrophic livestock losses due to the rapid spread of avian influenza. In Chiba Prefecture alone, 3.3 million chickens were culled in the first two months of 2025. In response to this crisis, Japanese technology giant NTT has begun developing an innovative protection system based on unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).
The new system uses drones equipped with laser installations that can automatically take off and randomly illuminate farm areas with red and green beams. The purpose of these beams is to scare away wild birds (such as pigeons, crows, and starlings) as well as other animals, including deer, which may carry the virus.
According to farmers working with NTT, this method is preferable to traditional pest control techniques such as noise or chemicals. Drones with automatic navigation functions are designed to help prevent the large-scale spread of infection without the need for manual labor. The concrete results and efficiency of the system will be known after the completion of field testing.
This is not the only example of Japan’s high-tech innovations in the agricultural sector. At the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan presented once again the prototype of the “world’s first hydrogen-powered autonomous tractor.” This futuristic machine can operate in the fields without human intervention and produce zero emissions, fully meeting the environmental standards of the future. The prototype is expected to undergo its first trials in 2025.
ORIENT
