The government will discover and commercialize excellent drone technologies to expand the drone service market.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Aviation Safety Technology Institute announced on the 20th that they had selected 17 drone companies through this year's drone commercialization support project competition.

The 17 companies include Doositec, Hojung Solution, Starman, Duering, Pablo Aviation, Sky Enterprise, Korea Aviation Association, Byrobot, Hancom Inspace, Marine Drone Technology, Doota Technology, Camtic Comprehensive Technology Institute, Infinite Information Technology, Meisa, Narma, Hexafactory, and Cinerex.

The drone market is expected to grow to $36.71 billion in 2024 and $39.03 billion in 2025. Since 2018, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has supported and fostered excellent drone technology companies through business model verification. In 2023, a total of KRW 4.8 billion will be provided to 17 companies in differentiated national funds (KRW 350 million or less) based on business scale and appropriateness.

Drone technologies developed so far include swarm flight technology, surveillance and search technology, gimbal (a type of horizontal maintenance device) and parachute technology, and AI object recognition.

In 2023, in order to expand the public use of drones, develop advanced technologies, and foster drone performances and leisure sports, the following were proposed as priority tasks in the support project competition: △Development and verification of ultra-precision GPS correction signal (KASS) reception, △Autonomous aerial avoidance device, △Development of domestically produced high-efficiency drone motor, and △Development of drone leisure sports.

As a result, cutting-edge technologies such as the development of a KASS receiver that enables precise drone flight, the development of a device for aerial avoidance and safe distance maintenance between drones, the development of domestic production of a high-efficiency single-phase DC drone motor, and the development of cutting-edge drone performances such as aerial and water drone light shows that combine the virtual and the real are being developed, and the development of new drone sports games is being promoted.

Doositec is moving forward with the commercialization of the 'KASS drone GPS receiver' by verifying the signal reception of the Aeronautical Satellite Service (KASS), which provides ultra-precision GPS location information developed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Pablo Aviation is promoting the commercialization of drone services in everyday life by developing cutting-edge drone performances such as light shows and swarm flights that combine the virtual and the real.

Marine drone technology, which has acquired the first drone delivery business license in Korea, is entering the development of fish detection drone technology and maritime verification.

In addition, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute is developing a digital video transmission and reception drone racing stadium, Byrobot is developing and commercializing a drone survival game as a new type of drone sport, Camtic Comprehensive Technology Institute is developing a drone soccer game as it was last year, Infinite Information Technology is developing a drone operation platform, Hexafactory is developing an ultra-small drone parachute, and Cinerex is developing a high-precision positioning device. Meisa continues to support the commercialization of integrated field management solutions, and Narma continues to support the commercialization of emergency supplies delivery systems.

Kim Young-guk, director general of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s aviation policy bureau, said, “We will foster our drone technology so that it can gradually become more advanced and demonstrate precise performance, and support drone performances and drone leisure sports so that they can grow into a K-drone culture that can be enjoyed not only in Korea but also by people around the world.” He urged drone companies to actively develop drone technology so that our country can lead changes in future society based on creativity and high technological prowess.