Plan your proposed drone flights before you finalize your trip.
Office20 helps international drone pilots, tour operators, and production teams research the requirements that may apply to proposed flights in Japan.
We review Japanese and English sources, identify location-specific questions, and turn the findings into practical next steps for your itinerary.
There is no charge for preparing the quote.
Japanese-English Research for International Drone Operations
Japan’s national aviation rules are only one part of planning a drone flight. Depending on the location and proposed operation, you may also need to consider:
- Aircraft registration and Remote ID
- Flight permission or approval
- Flight-plan notification
- Pilot and aircraft information
- Landowner or site-manager permission
- Municipal, prefectural, park, or facility rules
- Filming procedures
- Insurance requirements
- Forms, maps, and instructions available only in Japanese
A location that appears suitable under national airspace rules may still have separate restrictions on takeoff, landing, property use, or filming. Office20 helps you identify these layers before the itinerary is finalized.
Who This Service Is For
Tour Operators and Destination-Management Companies
Evaluate proposed flying locations before promoting drone-flying days to participants. Identify the information you need from pilots and aircraft owners, procedures that may affect the schedule, and issues requiring local confirmation.
Photography and Educational Travel Programs
Prepare consistent instructions for groups involving multiple pilots, aircraft, and locations.
Production Teams
Research Japanese-language requirements and site-specific procedures before committing to a production schedule.
Individual International Pilots
Understand what must be investigated before bringing your aircraft to Japan or considering a rental aircraft.
Services
One-Location Readiness Memo
A focused review of one proposed flying location. The scope may include applicable public rules and procedures, published site-management requirements, aircraft and pilot considerations, unresolved questions, and recommended next steps.
Itinerary Feasibility Review
A coordinated review of multiple proposed flying locations. The scope may include a location-by-location requirements matrix, national and local considerations, aircraft and pilot information requirements, timing and procedural dependencies, questions requiring confirmation, and possible alternative-location considerations.
Group Information Pack
Written information for tour operators and organized groups. The scope may include a participant information checklist, aircraft and pilot data requirements, pre-departure instructions, a shared operational checklist, English explanations of relevant Japanese procedures, and a schedule for pre-trip updates.
Additional Research and Coordination
When included in the agreed scope, Office20 can also assist with written inquiries to Japanese authorities or site managers, research involving Japanese-only forms and maps, investigation of drone rental options in Japan, coordination with an appropriately qualified application professional, additional locations, and updates after the initial report.
Considering a Rental Drone in Japan?
Renting a registered aircraft in Japan may simplify some aircraft-related issues, but it does not automatically make a proposed flight permissible.
Office20 can research potential rental options, including eligibility for international visitors, hotel delivery and return arrangements, aircraft registration and Remote ID status, sharing aircraft information through DIPS2.0, insurance and multiple-pilot conditions, English-language support, and timing for aircraft assignment and flight applications.
Flight permission, flight-plan notification, land-use permission, filming procedures, and other requirements may still apply. Office20 does not currently rent aircraft directly and does not guarantee availability from a rental provider.
What You Receive
You receive a written research deliverable based on the agreed scope. Depending on the project, it may explain:
- What the published rules and procedures say
- Which requirements may apply
- What depends on the exact aircraft, pilot, date, or launch location
- What information or documents may be needed
- Which matters require confirmation
- Who should be contacted
- When the relevant steps should be completed
- What alternatives should be considered
The objective is not simply to provide a collection of links. It is to organize the available information around your proposed itinerary.
How It Works
1. Tell Us What You Are Planning
Send the proposed locations, approximate dates, number of pilots, aircraft arrangements, and the date by which you need the results. It is fine if some details are not yet known.
2. Receive a Fixed-Scope Quote
Office20 will define the locations and issues to be reviewed, information you need to provide, deliverables, assumptions and exclusions, completion date, and fixed fee. There is no charge for preparing the quote.
3. Receive the Research and Next Steps
Office20 completes the agreed research and provides the written deliverable. Additional inquiries, locations, revisions, or updates are undertaken only when included in the agreed scope.
Information to Include With Your Request
- Proposed locations
- Approximate travel and flight dates
- Number of pilots
- Aircraft models and countries of purchase
- Whether you plan to bring aircraft from overseas or rent in Japan
- Proposed launch and landing areas, if known
- Intended operating conditions
- Intended use of the photographs or footage
- The date by which you need the findings or participant instructions
If the proposed launch location is not yet known, please describe the general area you are considering.
About the Researcher
Ritsuko Abrams is an FAA Part 107-certified remote pilot and the founder of Office20, a Japanese-English research and consulting service.
She writes about drone regulation and examines differences between official source materials. Her analysis of recent FAA Part 107 knowledge testing changes was published by The Drone Girl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you tell me whether a location is legal for drone flight?
Office20 can research the published rules and procedures that may apply to a proposed location. The answer may depend on the exact launch point, flight date, aircraft, pilot, operating method, land manager, and responses from relevant authorities or site managers.
Does national flight permission allow takeoff from any location?
No. Aviation permission does not automatically provide permission to use land controlled by a park, municipality, private owner, temple, shrine, hotel, or other site manager.
Can you contact Japanese authorities or site managers?
Yes. Written inquiries can be included in the project scope or quoted separately. Office20 generally uses written communication so that questions and responses can be documented accurately.
Can you help with Japanese-only information?
Yes. Research and explanation of Japanese-language forms, maps, instructions, and published procedures can be included in the agreed scope.
Can you submit flight applications for us?
Office20 provides research, information organization, and Japanese-English support. If preparing or submitting a government application for compensation must be performed by a licensed Japanese professional, Office20 will not perform that regulated work. When appropriate, Office20 may help coordinate with a qualified provider.
Can you arrange a rental drone in Japan?
Office20 can investigate suitable rental options and help clarify the relevant conditions. Office20 does not currently rent aircraft directly or guarantee aircraft availability.
Does renting a registered aircraft eliminate the need for other procedures?
No. Permission or approval, flight-plan notification, land-use permission, filming procedures, and insurance conditions may still need to be addressed.
How much does the service cost?
The fee depends on the number of locations, complexity of the proposed flights, number of aircraft and pilots, required inquiries, and deadline. Office20 provides a fixed-scope quote before paid work begins.
Is there a charge for requesting a quote?
No. There is no charge for preparing the initial quote.
Scope and Limitations
Office20 provides regulatory research, Japanese-English information support, and itinerary feasibility analysis.
Office20 does not provide legal advice and does not guarantee that permission, approval, site access, a rental aircraft, or any other requested outcome will be granted.
Published information and local procedures can change. Research is based on the information available and the facts supplied as of the date stated in the deliverable. The aircraft operator and pilot remain responsible for confirming current requirements and conducting every flight lawfully and safely.
Start With Your Proposed Itinerary
Send Office20 the proposed locations, approximate dates, and basic aircraft and pilot arrangements. You will receive a clearly defined scope, completion date, and fixed fee before any paid work begins.
There is no charge for preparing the quote.