A cardboard drone worth 1,800 euros has just been incorporated into the Japanese armed forces. The start-up Air Kamuy delivers its disposable devices to the Japanese navy, which uses them in the field.
The cardboard drone AirKamuy 150 redefines disposable armament standards The Japanese start-up Air Kamuy has developed an unlikely yet effective device. Made of hydrophobic treated corrugated cardboard, the AirKamuy 150 ships flat like a piece of furniture ready for assembly. However, this device flies at 120 kilometers per hour and covers a range of 150 kilometers. It can carry up to two kilograms of sensors or explosives.
Its main advantage remains its price. Each unit costs around 1,800 euros, or 300,000 yen. This is less than 1% of the price of a traditional military drone. Moreover, any soldier can assemble it in less than five minutes, without tools.
According to the UPI agency, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force is already using the AirKamuy 150 as an aerial target for its shooting exercises. Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi confirmed this deployment in April 2026. Thus, Tokyo officially approves the use of this cardboard drone. This first deployment also aims to gather flight data for a possible conversion into an attack drone.
This cardboard drone deceives radars and economically weakens enemy defenses The corrugated cardboard absorbs and disperses radar waves, significantly reducing the device’s reflective surface. Thus, this physical property offers a stealthy advantage without the need for special coating or expensive technology. However, conventional anti-aircraft defense systems struggle to detect these devices in time to react.
Yet, the true strength of this drone lies in its economic impact on the adversary. Neutralizing such a device costs the enemy much more than it is worth. A standard surface-to-air missile often exceeds one million euros, compared to 1,800 euros for the AirKamuy 150. Consequently, sending thousands of these drones is enough to deplete enemy ammunition stocks.
Japan is building a defense strategy entirely around its disposable drones The Japanese defense budget reaches 9,000 billion yen for 2026, approximately 55 billion euros. Specifically, nearly 1.7 billion euros target drones and unmanned systems. Additionally, the SHIELD program envisions an automated coastal network with thousands of attack drones and marine devices. This system aims to block access to Japanese coastal areas in case of conflict.
Tokyo aims to break free from traditional defense giants. The Shiraha project integrates local start-ups into the military supply chain. The JISDA start-up offers a wooden drone for around 420 euros, entirely manufactured in Japan. Thus, a simple cardboard factory could theoretically become a military production site in times of crisis.
The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the effectiveness of low-cost disposable drones against conventional armies. Japan has taken these lessons before other major powers. However, this trend transcends Japanese borders. Russia, Iran, and several emerging countries are now focusing on swarms of cheap drones. Their common goal is to bypass costly defenses. The Japanese cardboard drone embodies this shift towards a war where quantity prevails over sophistication.
