ACSL Ltd. announces that on July 12, 2023, it has signed a MOU with Hepta Group Airborne OÜ (Hepta Airborne) for a strategic alliance regarding the deployment of inspection drones in the European and South American markets. ACSL has a vision of "Revolutionizing Social Infrastructure by Pursuing Cutting-Edge Robotics Technology" with the mission of "Liberate Humanity Through Technology". By pursuing robotics technologies, including proprietary autonomous control technology, and socially implementing drones and other products using these technologies, ACSL aims to free people from hazardous working conditions and increase the sustainability and productivity of society through the realization of mission and vision.

Hepta Airborne provides an AI-powered data management platform for energy infrastructure companies. Currently operating in 18 countries, mainly in the European and South American markets, and its platform is used for 3,000 km of power line inspections each month. Reducing the cost, man-hours, and hazardous work involved in power line inspections is a pressing issue not only in Japan, but also in these countries.

In order to solve this social issue, ACSL and Hepta Airborne have agreed to aim to introduce more than three hundreds drones for power line inspections and other inspection applications over the next two years. In the future, ACSL and Hepta Airborne will share information on power line inspections and ACSL provide drones and parts to promote the use of drones for inspections in Europe and South America. ACSL has decided to postpone the disclosure of earnings forecasts for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 although net sales in Japan are expected to be at least at the same level as the previous fiscal year, the company has determined that it is difficult at this point in time to appropriately and reasonably calculate figures for net sales overseas.

The impact of signed the MOU on ACSL's business performance, the contract aims to introduce more than 300 units of inspection drones mainly in the European and Central and South American markets over the next two years, and ACSL believes that this will contribute to sales. However, the actual number of units to be sold has not yet been determined, and the impact on business performance has not yet been determined. ACSL is currently examining other factors and will promptly disclose the earnings forecast it becomes possible to do.