Drone developers in Japan are coming up with ways to fly their craft into places that used to be extremely hard to reach. That means they can provide maintenance for infrastructure in difficult locations, without the need for human workers.

One such startup is Tokyo-based Blue Innovation.
It's teaming up with Tokyo Electric Power Company to develop ways to inspect power lines.

It used to be very difficult to operate drones near such lines because of the electromagnetic waves they emit.

But Blue Innovation has developed the technology for drones to use sensors to identify the locations of lines, then fly in on their own without the need for a human controller.
The company's president says a shortage of workers has made it difficult to maintain aging infrastructure. He says drones can play a key role to address that.

Blue Innovation President and CEO Kumada Takayuki says, "Demand for labor to inspect infrastructure is rising like never before. Robotics is the way to meet that demand. We seem to be in the right business."

Drones are not only at work in the skies. They've taken on some difficult tasks underground as well.

Drone maker ACSL offers a service to inspect the insides of sewage pipes. That became possible after the company managed to stabilize radio communications in closed spaces.