Japan is turning to drones in its escalating battle with bears, as authorities deploy new anti-bear tech to deal with a surge in dangerous encounters.
As reported by TBS News Dig, local governments across rural Japan have begun rolling out drones equipped with loudspeakers, flashing lights, and even pepper spray to scare bears away from populated areas.
The move follows off the back of a record-breaking year of rising incidents, where bears have been spotted wandering into towns and residential zones as shrinking habitats and food shortages drive them closer to people.
Japan to use drones in fight against bears
One of the most eye-catching examples comes from a demonstration in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, where officials tested the drone’s capabilities on a man wearing a full bear suit.
The comical tech demo showed the drone hovering overhead before briefly stopping to release a burst of bear spray from above, highlighting how the system could scare off animals without putting humans in danger.
Japan’s Environment Ministry has previously warned that bear attacks have reached historic highs, with dozens of serious injuries reported in recent years and multiple fatalities confirmed during peak seasons.
That rise has already pushed authorities to try unconventional measures, including urging children to carry plastic bottles to make noise while walking to school and even deploying the Japan Self-Defense Forces to help track and respond to bears in affected regions.
Last year, researchers also revealed an AI system designed to predict bear encounters before they happen, giving local authorities a way to anticipate when and where bears could emerge near towns or residential areas.
While the use of drone technology is still in its trial phase, officials see it as a potential long-term solution as Japan grapples with an aging population, a shrinking pool of licensed hunters, and wildlife patterns that are becoming harder to predict.
