TOKYO -- Japanese companies will be able to expand drone services after a cap on simultaneous operations by a single pilot were scrapped, potentially helping to fill gaps left by labor shortages.

Recent developments in artificial intelligence have made it possible to operate multiple drones in formation. Industries had called for removing the cap amid logistics needs for disasters and in increasingly depopulated areas of Japan.

New guidelines from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism that came out in June removed the limit of five drones per operator.

"The government's new guidelines provide clear steps for getting an operating permit, giving companies a clearer foundation for investment," said Shinji Suzuki, professor emeritus at University of Tokyo, who is known for his work on drones. "This opens up the possibility for a single person to operate 10 or even 15 drones." If controlling flocks of drones can help keep costs down, more companies could enter fields like logistics and infrastructure inspections outside of population centers. They may also be used to more efficiently examine disaster areas, speeding up rescue responses and aid deliveries.

The revisions detail specific risks -- such as signals cutting out -- and require businesses to understand and address them before applying for a drone permit.

To operate multiple drones simultaneously, the guidelines require a flight manager to make decisions, such as on emergency landings. Businesses must set clearly defined roles and responsibilities and carry out structured training.

This spring, telecom carrier KDDI and other private enterprises trialed operating multiple drones with information and alerts consolidated on one screen. The centralized safety controls allowed them to fly 10 drones at once, helping to pave the way for the removal of the five-drone cap.

In fiscal 2025, Japan's drone business market grew by around 14% to 497.3 billion yen ($3.1 billion), and is expected to reach 954.4 billion yen by fiscal 2030, according to Impress Research Institute. Impress expects related business to grow as services such as infrastructure inspection and construction-site progress monitoring expand. Still, challenges remain in terms of how to implement such simultaneous flights.

"Teamwork will be crucial for businesses," Suzuki said. "They will need to set up systems that allow sufficient communication, including establishing operating terminology." A subsidiary of Japanese drone developer Aeronext got into simultaneous drone operation in 2024. It uses drones to deliver groceries, medicines and daily necessities from bases in in eight depopulated areas around the country.

"The recent revision of the national guidelines presents an opportunity for us to expand our business," Aeronext CEO Keisuke Toji said.

Aeronext has created a system that automates drone flights along pre-set routes while a remote pilot monitors them in real time. Using the system, one operator can manage up to five drones at once.

"By leveraging AI and other technologies, we aim to be able to operate even more drones going forward," Toji said. The U.S. has a leg up on technology for simultaneous drone operation.

To date, Alphabet unit Wing has succeeded in flying 80 drones at once, while Zipline has been able to fly 200 at one time, according to PwC Consulting. Both U.S.-based companies are working toward using drones for deliveries of food and other goods to consumers.