In July of 2019, two heavy-lift, long-range AirborgTM drones shipped from Boston, MA, to Hokkaido, Japan. Phase I of a multi-phase 60-day-to-Mission-Ready UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) program had begun.
The first aspect of the project, as agreed by Top Flight Technologies, Inc. and Aizawa Concrete Corp., would focus on the delivery, training, flying, and data acquisition of inspection missions of concrete infrastructure throughout Japan.
“Phase I of our project with Aizawa was a complete success,” says Dr. Long Phan, CEO of Top Flight. “It’s a win-win scenario for both parties to promote Top Flight’s solution in Japan through Aizawa. It also highlights the strength of MIT Startup Exchange as a powerful resource for promoting collaboration between MIT-connected startups and members of the Industrial Liaison Program.
Top Flight’s unique long-range, heavy-payload UAV solutions offer exciting opportunities for Aizawa Concrete.
With Phase I officially completed at the close of 2019, Top Flight and Aizawa now prepare to enter the next phase of their strategic partnership. Phase II will see them engaged in a joint effort to analyze data gathered from Phase I and derive key insights that will be used to define future work aimed at fixing damaged roads and bridges.
Aizawa Concrete’s CEO, Yoshohiro Aizawa, initially approached MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP) regarding his interest in drone technology for road and bridge inspection and repair. “We needed next-generation UAV technology beyond the capabilities of other UAVs on the market,” says Mr. Aizawa. “Given MIT’s extensive innovation ecosystem, the Industrial Liaison Program was the logical place to start our search for a partner on this project."
Top Flight’s hybrid-electric UAVs stand in stark contrast to standard battery-based UAVs. Traditional drones max out at around 20 minutes of flight time, cover at most a 10-mile range, and carry a maximum payload of 2 kg. Top Flight’s drones can stay in the air for hours, have a range of 100 miles, and can carry payloads up to 10 kg. With a stronger, more industrial-grade drone, Top Flight's UAV solutions have a top speed of 55 mph and can withstand 35 mph gusts of wind without being blown off course. And their capabilities extend to onboard computing, high-powered communications, and continuous data links to Cloud servers, all while flying multiple UAVs by a single remote operator.
Their technologies not only maximize the effectiveness of our aerial inspection capabilities but also create new value and markets by integrating with our infrastructure maintenance and disaster prevention technologies.
Top Flight is a member of MIT Startup Exchange, the unit of MIT Corporate Relations that works hand in hand with ILP to introduce members to MIT-connected startups. With ILP brokering introductions, both Aizawa and Top Flight entered into negotiations with confidence and a high level of trust. The result was a process that moved at an incredibly rapid rate. From the first meeting between the two CEOs, to the end of Phase I delivery took less than 10 months. “Aizawa has been an amazing partner, and MIT ILP played a significant role in allowing this relationship to prosper,” says Phan. “I firmly believe that the ILP endorsement of an industry-ready MIT startup was sufficient to engender trust on the part of Aizawa and facilitate a speedy, smooth process from concept to signed contract. This is a true success story.”
For ILP member Aizawa Concrete, the collaboration with STEX25 startup Top Flight is indicative of a desire to invest in innovative technologies that will extend the life of concrete and infrastructure products while mitigating maintenance costs for their customers. “Top Flight’s unique long-range, heavy-payload UAV solutions offer exciting opportunities for Aizawa Concrete,” says Mr. Aizawa. “Their technologies not only maximize the effectiveness of our aerial inspection capabilities but also create new value and markets by integrating with our infrastructure maintenance and disaster prevention technologies.”
The Top Flight-Aizawa partnership demonstrates the hallmark of collaborations promoted by MIT Startup Exchange: the fusion of high-caliber talent and cutting-edge technology provided by an MIT-connected startup with a top-quality corporation seeking an injection of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.