News Release

Drone School for Training Drone Pilots to Open in April, Recruitment of Students Starts Now

Feb 23, 2018

TOKYO, Japan - February 23, 2018- ORIX Rentec Corporation ("ORIX Rentec"), a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation ("ORIX"), announced today the opening of a Drone Training School on April 10, 2018, for the training of drone pilots. Ahead of the school's opening, ORIX Rentec will start recruiting students from today.

The Drone Training School is a drone flying school aimed at corporations. It will be operated by ORIX Rentec as a school certified by the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA) with the purpose of training drone pilots possessing high technical competence and knowledge of safe flying.

A JUIDA-certified Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flying Skills Course taught by experienced instructors will provide an environment where even beginners can acquire drone-flying skills safely and securely. Students will learn correct knowledge about how to use drones and how to fly them over a four-day course, which includes one day of classroom learning and three days of practical training indoors and outdoors, designed according to guidelines established by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT).

When flying a drone over a densely inhabited district, around an airport, at night, and in certain other situations, an application for flight permission must be submitted to the MLIT and other authorities in accordance with the Civil Aeronautics Act. However, it can take a long time until permission is granted, as there is a complicated procedure to comprehensively evaluate factors including flight location, time, drone model performance, and flight experience. Persons who have completed this course can receive a JUIDA Accredited Pilot Certificate, which enables partial exemption from the submission of documents needed in applications for flight permission from the MLIT, thereby simplifying the procedure.
Additionally, the school will also offer a JUIDA-certified Safe Flight Administrator Course for persons who have obtained the Accredited Pilot Certificate and who have actual flight service experience. Classroom learning and practical training will be conducted in Tokyo, and in Saitama prefecture, respectively.

The utilization of drones is expected in a wide range of areas including security, agriculture, and distribution in addition to the surveying of construction sites, inspection of infrastructure such as bridges and pylons, and checking of situations at disaster sites. The size of the drone market is anticipated to grow dramatically in the future, as various companies are considering the introduction of drones in an environment marked by a shrinking workforce. On the other hand, when drones are put into practical use in different industrial fields, there are many challenges, including procurement of the latest models, investigation of the manner of utilization, maintenance, development of safety management guidelines, and the training of pilots.

In light of this environment, ORIX Rentec began selling drones in March 2017 and started a rental service in April. Now, with stronger demand to ensure the reliability and safety of drone flying, the company will support safe drone operations through a training school that gives pilots solid technical competence.

Going forward, ORIX Rentec will keep contributing to the promotion of the use and application of drones in various business situations by advancing its provision of drone-related services.

Overview of the training school
Name Drone Training School
Hours 9:00 - 17:00, weekdays only
Opening date Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Locations [Classroom learning]
4F Osaki Bright Core, 5-5-15 Kita-Shinagawa,
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
5-min. walk from Osaki Station on the JR Yamanote Line
[Indoor training]
6-6-11 Higashikawaguchi, Kawaguchi, Saitama
15-min. walk from Higashi-Kawaguchi Station on the JR
Musashino Line
[Outdoor training]
896 Okuboryoke, Sakura-ku, Saitama, Saitama
11 min. by bus from Minamiyono Station on the JR Saikyo Line,
12-min. walk from the Shimookubo bus stop.
■ Overview of the courses
JUIDA-certified
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flying Skills Course
One day of classroom learning and three days of practice (two days indoors and one day outdoors) for a total of four days Fee: 250,000 yen/person (tax not included)
JUIDA-certified
Safe Flight Administrator Course
One day of classroom learning Fee: 30,000 yen/person (tax not included)

■ How to apply
(1) By email: Email: drone.training.school@orix.jp
(2) By telephone: Tel: +81-3-3473-8470


Contact Information:
ORIX Corporation
Corporate Planning Department
Tel: +81-3-3435-3121

About ORIX:
ORIX Corporation (TSE: 8591; NYSE: IX) is an opportunistic, diversified, innovation-driven global powerhouse with a proven track record of profitability. Established in 1964, ORIX at present operates a diverse portfolio of businesses in the operations, financial services, and investment spaces. ORIX's highly complementary business activities span industries including: energy, private equity, infrastructure, automotive, ship and aircraft, real estate and retail financial services. ORIX has also spread its business globally by establishing locations in a total of 40 countries and regions across the world. Through its business activities, ORIX has long been committed to corporate citizenship and environmental sustainability. For more details, please visit our website: http://www.orix.co.jp/grp/en/

Caution Concerning Forward Looking Statements:
These documents may contain forward-looking statements about expected future events and financial results that involve risks and uncertainties. Such statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, those described under "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and under "(4) Risk Factors" of the "1. Summary of Consolidated Financial Results" of the "Consolidated Financial Results April 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017."

 

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