South Korea

Japan-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) plane maker SkyDrive has gotten a bit more tailwind in the commercialization push of its three-seat “flying car” with an order of 50 craft from leasing firm Solyu of South Korea.

Flag carrier Korean Air is forging ahead with its trail blazing test program using drone swarms for inspection of its planes to measure wear of fuselage components, and detect any weaknesses or damage requiring repairs.

Advanced air mobility (AAM) company Vertical Aerospace has established a multi-faceted partnership with the self-described “super app provider” mobility unit of South Korea’s internet giant, Kakao Corporation, including pre-orders of up to 50 of the UK startup’s VX4 air taxis.

Efforts to prepare for urban air mobility (UAM) services in South Korea will be accelerating this year, as officials in Seoul plan the launch of a two-phase series of air taxi trails in and around the capital.

The UK’s Skyports Drone Services has added a new activity to its ship-to-shore aerial activities with the introduction Cash-to-Master (CTM) operations, shuttling reserves of money between anchored and harbored vessels and officials on the ground.

South Korean aircraft developer Plana doesn’t plan to introduce its first air taxi  for a few years yet, but it’s already initiating work to create what it says will be Asia’s first international corridor for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) flights between its domestic market and Japan.

UK-based Skyports Drone Services is expanding its international operations in South Korea through a joint venture with local company Marine Drone Tech (MDT) and will initially work to launch specialized ship-to-shore UAV deliveries.

The government of South Korea is launching a project to create a smart logistics infrastructure network designed to slash the time between customer orders and their delivery by drones and robotic vehicles to under an hour.

SK Telecom, South Korea’s largest wireless telecom operator that is now rapidly transforming into an AI company, says that it has developed an inspection system that checks the safety of cell towers using drones and automated image analysis.

As developers of air taxis and other advanced air mobility (AAM) craft move closer to certification and launch of services, efforts by national regulators to coordinate standards and operating rules have gained momentum ­– most recently with an agreement between the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the South Korea Office of Civil Aviation (KOCA) to cooperate as rollouts near.

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, or FAI, has selected South Korea as the host of the 2023 World Drone Racing Championship. The competition, the biggest of its kind, comes with a prize pool of $100,000.

South Korean startup MintAir is partnering with Dallas-based electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft company Jaunt Air Mobility to develop advanced air mobility (AAM) services across the Southeast Asian nation.

South Korea’s Jeju Island is preparing to introduce air taxi service by 2025, a first step in the popular tourist destination’s plans to make urban air mobility (UAM) services a routine transport option around the vacation hot spot.

Convenience store chain 7-Eleven is trialing 3-minute drone delivery services in Gapyeong, a quaint resort town in South Korea that has gained popularity because of its easy accessibility from Seoul. During the pilot program, which will run until the end of this year, there is no minimum order amount requirement, and delivery through drones is also being offered free of charge.

The South Korean capital Seoul is upgrading its stable of smart city light poles with drone-equipped models that will aid officials to battle the problem of illegal parking and monitor traffic snags.

South Korea’s SK Telecom and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft specialist Joby Aviation have announced an agreement to develop advanced air mobility (AAM) ride-sharing services between cities across one of southeast Asia’s most promising next-generation transportation markets.

South Korea’s flag carrier Korean Air has succeeded in deploying multiple drones simultaneously to shorten aircraft inspection time and improve operational stability dramatically. The unprecedented feat was at display at the airline’s headquarters today.

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Korean Air is providing fire fighting and rescue services at a popular vacation destination two of its hybrid drones. The craft’s mix of battery and internal combustion power will increase the length of missions flown, and enhance the craft’s resistance to rough weather conditions.

Officials across the globe have used drones in the fight against the pandemic’s spread. South Korea is adding a new weapon to that anti-coronavirus arsenal from above: detecting people with COVID-19-indicating fevers at beaches this summer.

South Korean and Israeli firms have recently signed a memorandum of understanding that will see helicopters equipped with kamikaze drones. The drones will be offered to the South Korean military if everything goes according to plan.