Skydio, KDDI Corporation, and NTT Docomo Accelerate Autonomous Operations in Japan: Skydio Dock for X10 Now Generally Available

Skydio is expanding its drone and Dock footprint in Japan through their partnerships with KDDI and NTT Docomo to deploy generally available Skydio Dock for X10 systems to customers throughout the country in utilities, telecom, construction and disaster relief and preparedness. The first wave of Skydio Docks has already been deployed in Japan, marking a major milestone for the company and its partners. These deployments signal the start of a new chapter that moves well beyond pilot programs into scaled, high‑reliability deployment.

From Pilot Success to Scaled Availability

Over the past several years, Japanese organizations in sectors ranging from infrastructure and construction to public safety and disaster management have validated Skydio’s autonomous drone technology in demanding, real‑world conditions. Early projects showed that autonomous flight, obstacle avoidance, and automated data capture reduces manual flight time, lowers operational risk, and delivers timely insights to field teams. As these proof points accumulated, interest in persistent, low‑touch operations grew—especially in a geography where extreme weather, aging infrastructure, and remote industrial assets create ongoing inspection and response challenges.

After a successful Beta program of Skydio Dock for X10 with companies across multiple industries, Skydio—together with KDDI and NTT Docomo—has officially begun rolling out generally available Docks. This milestone marks the broader deployment of autonomous aerial robotics, unlocking continuous, on-demand data without the need for on-site pilots for every mission. Japan is the first country outside of America to deploy production-ready Docks for X10.

“The combination of Skydio’s technology, with deployment, maintenance, and local support from our partners KDDI and NTT Docomo, means we can deliver solutions for our customers at scale,” said John Biviano, Vice President, APAC at Skydio. “This expansion reaffirms our commitment to the Japan region and supports industries that require rapid, reliable aerial intelligence including emergency services that benefit from Drone As First Responder (DFR) for incident response.”

Docks Rolling Out

The scaled deployment begins with KDDI’s customer, Ishikawa Prefecture, which will host the first customer site in this expansion. Each Dock enables a Skydio X10 drone to operate in the field—protected, charged, connected, and ready to fly autonomously on schedule or on demand. Remote operators can launch missions remotely, receive live video and structured data products, and redeploy aircraft across multi‑site networks without travel delays.

This rollout reflects shared investment and operational coordination between Skydio and KDDI, as well as Skydio and NTT Docomo, to ensure communications resilience, secure data transport, and responsive local support.

Aerial Solutions For Japanese Industry & Public Safety

Japan faces a convergence of pressures: aging infrastructure that must be inspected more frequently, intensifying climate events that demand rapid situational awareness, and a shrinking skilled workforce in industrial and municipal roles. Autonomous drones staged in the field answer all three.

Utilities & Energy: Distributed assets—transmission lines, substations, renewable generation sites—can be inspected more frequently and at lower marginal cost. Automated repeatable missions build time‑series datasets that surface change, degradation, or storm damage faster than ground‑based patrols.

Disaster Response & Resilience: Emergency services teams gain eyes on the scene within minutes of an incident, even when road access is compromised. Persistent Dock sites positioned near fault lines, flood plains, or coastal infrastructure can be tasked immediately after an event, providing live imagery to coordination centers.

Construction & Capital Projects: As highlighted in Skydio’s earlier work with Japanese construction firms, automated aerial monitoring has been shown to cut site documentation time dramatically—by as much as 80% in one documented case—while improving record accuracy and safety oversight. Scaling Dock deployments brings that efficiency to recurring, multi‑site programs.

Looking Forward

We are excited about the milestone of bringing Skydio Dock for X10 to general availability and the opportunities it creates for autonomous aerial operations throughout Japan. Together with our partners KDDI and NTT Docomo, we look forward to expanding aerial robotics capabilities across utilities, telecom, construction, and disaster relief sectors—helping organizations achieve greater safety, security, efficiency, and operational insight.