A protective sheet automatic peeling apparatus comprising: a loading unit for receiving a prepreg sheet with protective sheets attached thereto; a prepreg sheet conveying unit for delivering the prepreg sheet in a feeding direction; a leading end position detection unit for detecting whether a leading end position of the prepreg sheet arrives at a predetermined position; an air spraying unit (14, 15) for spraying air onto the prepreg sheet or/and the protective sheets; a protective sheet gripping/conveying unit for gripping the protective sheets peeled off by the air from the air spraying unit (14, 15) and delivering the protective sheets in a direction opposite to the feeding direction; an extraction unit for extracting the prepreg sheet delivered in the feeding direction after the protective sheets are peeled therefrom; and a control unit for controlling each unit, wherein the control unit executes: processing for causing the prepreg sheet conveying unit to deliver the prepreg sheet with the protective sheets attached thereto from the loading unit; processing for causing the leading end position detection unit to detect as to whether a prepreg sheet leading end position arrives at a peeling start position and, upon detection thereof, causing the prepreg sheet conveying unit to stop the delivery of the prepreg sheet; processing for causing the air spraying unit (14, 15) to spray a first air from the front along the prepreg sheet end face; and processing for causing the air spraying unit (14, 15) to spray a second air onto peeling boundaries of the protective sheets. a loading unit for receiving a prepreg sheet with protective sheets attached thereto; a prepreg sheet conveying unit for delivering the prepreg sheet in a feeding direction; a leading end position detection unit for detecting whether a leading end position of the prepreg sheet arrives at a predetermined position; an air spraying unit (14, 15) for spraying air onto the prepreg sheet or/and the protective sheets; a protective sheet gripping/conveying unit for gripping the protective sheets peeled off by the air from the air spraying unit (14, 15) and delivering the protective sheets in a direction opposite to the feeding direction; an extraction unit for extracting the prepreg sheet delivered in the feeding direction after the protective sheets are peeled therefrom; and a control unit for controlling each unit, wherein the control unit executes: processing for causing the prepreg sheet conveying unit to deliver the prepreg sheet with the protective sheets attached thereto from the loading unit; processing for causing the leading end position detection unit to detect as to whether a prepreg sheet leading end position arrives at a peeling start position and, upon detection thereof, causing the prepreg sheet conveying unit to stop the delivery of the prepreg sheet; processing for causing the air spraying unit (14, 15) to spray a first air from the front along the prepreg sheet end face; and processing for causing the air spraying unit (14, 15) to spray a second air onto peeling boundaries of the protective sheets. processing for causing the prepreg sheet conveying unit to deliver the prepreg sheet with the protective sheets attached thereto from the loading unit; processing for causing the leading end position detection unit to detect as to whether a prepreg sheet leading end position arrives at a peeling start position and, upon detection thereof, causing the prepreg sheet conveying unit to stop the delivery of the prepreg sheet; processing for causing the air spraying unit (14, 15) to spray a first air from the front along the prepreg sheet end face; and processing for causing the air spraying unit (14, 15) to spray a second air onto peeling boundaries of the protective sheets.