Japan is exploring unconventional approaches to military technology, as its Defense Minister met with a startup developing cardboard-based drones.

The company, Air Kamui, has already supplied its low-cost drones to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force for use as aerial targets, indicating early operational adoption.

Built from corrugated cardboard, the drones are designed to be lightweight, inexpensive, and quickly produced in large numbers.

The concept reflects a broader shift toward scalable, expendable unmanned systems, as Japan looks to strengthen its defense capabilities with practical, cost-efficient solutions.

Recently, Penn State University students developed a cost-effective rescue drone with 3D mapping, enabling autonomous navigation in dark, GPS-denied disaster zones to locate trapped victims indoors.

Disposable drones advance

Several startups have developed drones made primarily from corrugated cardboard for low-cost, expendable missions. The material choice offers key advantages: the airframes are lightweight, inexpensive, biodegradable, and can be produced quickly in large volumes. These qualities make them well-suited for roles where aircraft are expected to be lost, such as training exercises, reports Defence Blog.

Beyond training roles, the military is exploring additional uses for these drones. Their cardboard structure reduces radar reflection compared to metal or carbon fiber, making them harder to detect. This low-observable feature could make them effective for reconnaissance missions, allowing forces to locate targets while remaining less visible to enemy sensors.

At the center of Japan’s effort is the AirKamuy 150, developed by Air Kamui. Built from corrugated cardboard with a water-resistant coating, the drone is lightweight, inexpensive, and can be shipped flat-packed for rapid assembly in about five minutes. Priced around $2,500, it is far cheaper than conventional fixed-wing drones.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has adopted the platform as an aerial target, confirming its operational utility. Beyond training, its low radar reflectivity may support future reconnaissance roles where reduced detectability is an advantage.

Drone strategy expansion

Japan is shifting its defense strategy from simply acquiring drones to deeply integrating unmanned systems across all military branches. This approach emphasizes not just procurement, but also the development of doctrine, training frameworks, logistics networks, and sustained operational deployment in real-world conditions.

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has outlined ambitions to position Japan as a global leader in drone utilization. As part of this effort, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force has established dedicated drone-focused offices to advance operational planning and integration. These initiatives contribute to the broader Synchronized, Hybrid, Integrated and Enhanced Littoral Defense (SHIELD) concept, which envisions a large-scale network of affordable unmanned systems maintaining continuous surveillance over Japan’s southwestern islands.

Low-cost platforms developed by Air Kamui are already playing a role in this transition. Currently used as aerial targets, these expendable drones enable naval units to conduct more frequent and realistic gunnery and missile defense training at reduced cost, improving readiness without the need for recovery operations.

Japan’s “Shiraha” project highlights efforts to build a fully domestic drone supply chain. In April 2026, local startup JISDA unveiled the ACM-01 Shiraha, a low-cost drone with a wooden fuselage priced around $450. Designed with entirely locally sourced components, it reduces reliance on foreign materials. Backed by the Ministry of Defense Japan, the platform supports a strategy of deploying large numbers of expendable drones that can be quickly replaced if lost, reports The Military Channel.

The push aligns with Japan’s wider defense expansion and increased military spending, influenced in part by lessons from the War in Ukraine. Beyond military use, similar drone technologies are being explored for disaster response, including rapid damage assessment and search missions, underscoring their dual-use value.