Japan's defense ministry is embracing an unconventional solution to modern warfare: cardboard drones. AirKamuy, a Japanese manufacturer, is shipping flatpacked drones made of paper that cost around $2,000 each. Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi displayed one during a meeting with the company on Monday, signaling official military interest in the unusual technology.

The AirKamuy 150 arrives like IKEA furniture—folded flat in a package—ready for assembly and deployment. These disposable aircraft are designed as low-cost unmanned assets meant to be used and destroyed on the battlefield. Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force is already utilizing them as target drones for training exercises, proving their practical utility.

Koizumi stated Japan aims to become the world's leading user of unmanned assets, calling collaboration with defense startups "indispensable." The cardboard approach offers significant cost advantages over traditional military drones while maintaining operational utility for reconnaissance and training purposes.