Wing plans to begin drone deliveries in Japan in partnership with telecommunications company KDDI and its subsidiary KDDI SmartDrone, with the companies targeting service in selected areas by the end of 2027. The initial flights are planned for 2027 and are expected to carry groceries and other daily goods, with Lawson identified as the first retail chain involved.
The agreement brings together the aircraft and delivery operation with the communications and regulatory infrastructure needed to fly beyond the operator’s line of sight. Wing will supply its autonomous aircraft, flight-operations software and automated ground stations. KDDI and KDDI SmartDrone will provide the communications network, regulatory handling and experience working with local governments in Japan.
A 4G LTE link for flights beyond the operator’s sight
KDDI SmartDrone operates aircraft over KDDI’s 4G LTE network, which the companies say enables drones to travel outside the operator’s line of sight. The partnership therefore places the mobile network at the center of the proposed delivery system, alongside the aircraft and the ground infrastructure used to launch and receive them.
KDDI SmartDrone is also building drone ports in Japan and has worked with local authorities on drone operations. In September, the company conducted remote surveys of flood damage in Ishikawa Prefecture after heavy rain. It also operates a drone school at more than 20 locations, training pilots for Japan’s national license.
- Wing: autonomous aircraft, flight-operations software and automated ground stations.
- KDDI and KDDI SmartDrone: network connectivity, regulatory handling and local-government experience.
- Lawson: the convenience-store retailer named for the planned delivery service.
Food, medicine and small retail orders
The planned service is intended to move food, daily necessities, over-the-counter medicine and small retail orders. The companies said the product range and service area could expand through agreements with municipalities and regional partners after the 2027 start. No delivery-time target for Japan was given.
KDDI has owned half of Lawson since 2024, linking the proposed drone operation to a retail network already connected to the telecommunications company. The arrangement also gives Wing a Japanese partner responsible for local regulatory work in a market where drone-delivery rules are still developing.
Japan has permitted autonomous flights over residential areas since December 2022. The planned Wing service will consequently enter an airspace environment that already allows this type of operation, while relying on KDDI SmartDrone’s communications and regulatory capabilities to support flights outside the operator’s direct line of sight.
Wing brings an established delivery operation
Wing said it had completed more than one million home deliveries as of October 2026. In the United States, the company says it makes thousands of deliveries a day across five markets, generally within 30 minutes of an order. Those figures describe Wing’s existing U.S. operation; the companies have not announced an equivalent delivery volume or timing target for Japan.
