3eye Bird

3eye Bird Co., Ltd. is a Japanese company headquartered in Gojo-machi, Akita Prefecture, that operates the JUIDA-accredited drone flight school "D-Academy Tohoku." Founded in June 2016 and led by representative Takeshi Ito, the company set up its training campus inside a repurposed elementary school building and a former ski resort in rural Akita, using the site's varied terrain -- classrooms, open fields, and slopes -- to teach both indoor and outdoor drone operation. D-Academy Tohoku is registered with Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as an approved training organization and was recognized by JUIDA (Japan UAS Industry Development Association) in 2024 as an "excellent registered training organization." Its curriculum covers Japan's national Class 1 and Class 2 remote pilot licenses, aerial photography and videography, autonomous flight programming, and i-Construction ICT surveying techniques aimed at construction and civil-engineering clients. The school also sells drones domestically and operates a mobile support vehicle equipped with large display screens for outreach and public demonstrations.

Beyond training, 3eye Bird has moved into applied drone technology, developing an early-detection and tracking system for wild bears that combines visible-light, infrared, and night-vision drone cameras with real-time AI image analysis. The system is designed to spot bears hidden in tall grass or low-light conditions -- locations difficult to assess from the ground -- and to share tracking data so responders can act before an encounter occurs. This work responds directly to a sharp rise in bear sightings and attacks across rural Japan, which increasingly affects farmers, foresters, and residents near Akita's agricultural and mountain communities. The company is publicly seeking donations and corporate sponsorship to fund further development and safety protocols, with a stated goal of nationwide deployment during fiscal year 2026.

3eye Bird's combination of hands-on pilot education and applied AI/drone product development positions it as both a training provider and a small-scale systems integrator for public-safety drone applications in Japan. The company maintains an active presence on X (as @3eyebird) and Facebook under the D-Academy Tohoku brand, where it shares course updates and progress on the bear-detection initiative.