This study explored the development of manned aerial vehicles (MAVs) for pesticide spraying in agriculture during Japan’s period of high economic growth, setting the foundation for future unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones). The study examined how the unique demands of Japan’s agriculture, including geographical and operational requirements, fostered the transition from fixed-wing aircraft (airplanes) to rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters) and drove “incremental” and “induced” innovation processes focusing on MAV innovations. These innovations were supported by Japan’s plant protection system, facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and realized through collaborations with the aviation and manufacturing industries. The Japan Agricultural Aviation Association (JAAA), in partnership with public and private entities, has advanced aerial pesticide spraying to meet the increasing agricultural demands by incorporating low-volume spraying technology and adapting apparatus designs. However, by the early 1980s, MAV pesticide spraying faced profitability and safety challenges, which prompted the JAAA to explore UAVs as an alternative. This study highlights the interrelationship between the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors in advancing agricultural technology and underscores the incremental evolution of MAVs that paved the way for the UAVs era in agricultural spraying.
Fu Cho (Mon,) studied this question.