▲2023 Drone / UAM Expo Incheon City

Drone/UAM ecosystem overview… Exhibition/leisure/drone show attractions
K-UAM Consortium, Phase 1 demonstration in Goheung, Jeollanam-do in August this year
Drone Technology Development Support Center, Mobile AI Air Traffic Control Line

As the global drone market is expected to grow to over 2 trillion won by 2030, the government and local governments are moving quickly to foster the domestic drone industry.

K-UAM (Korean Urban Air Mobility) is one step closer to commercialization by starting a demonstration project with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in August of this year.

The '2023 Korea Drone & UAM Expo', now in its 4th year, will be held from the 17th to the 20th at Songdo Convensia and Central Park in Incheon.

This expo will showcase domestic and international drone industry trends and the current status of technological development in our country through various events such as exhibition booths, conferences, drone soccer competitions, racing world cups, and drone festivals.

In addition, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Korean Air, Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology and Advancement (KAIA), Freenew, Pablo Aviation, P&U Drone, Marine Drone Technology, DB Energy Tech, DaVinci Labs, Meisa, and Intusky. Many companies related to drone airframes, infrastructure, batteries, and control participated.

Kim Dong-hyun, head of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Advanced Aviation Division, said, “We will analyze the technological capabilities, infrastructure, and market demand of domestic drone companies and establish systems and support measures that fit the current situation.”

■ Drone demonstration city project… 14 billion won this year

▲2023 Drone/UAM Expo Local Government Pavilion

This year, 14 billion won will be invested in 15 cities for the drone demonstration city project. With a focus on tasks such as ‘drone delivery business’ and ‘transportation of heavy cargo weighing over 50 kg,’ a drone delivery system will be established and full-scale commercialization will begin.

At the Drone/UAM exhibition hall, you can see the achievements of drone airframes, infrastructure, communications, and other technologies and policies. The activities of the government and local governments, including Incheon City, Jeju City, Jeonju City, Yeosu City, Namwon City, and Goheung County, are noticeable.

Incheon City is establishing infrastructure such as a drone city control center and the only drone flight test certification center in Korea. It announced that it will lead the public service city through facility management, air pollution management, fire suppression, and safety diagnosis, etc., including support for drone production.

Yeosu City has introduced a drone delivery service business for island regions with marine drone technology. It has already revealed the results of a service demonstration conducted with marine drone technology, which has experience with hundreds of drone deliveries. Jeju City will begin paid drone delivery to approximately 130 households in Gapado Island in the second half of the year.

■ Jeonju City-Camtic, Support for Drone Technology Development

▲2023 Drone · UAM Expo Drone Technology Development Support Center, Camtic Comprehensive Technology Institute

The Drone Technology Development Support Center, located in Jeonju, supports airframe production, prototype performance evaluation, and productization technology for the K-drone industry to enter the global market. It supports everything from securing space for drone companies to battery testing when outputting motors, to marketing, etc.

In particular, on this day, the Drone Technology Development Support Center and Camtic Comprehensive Technology Institute showcased a mobile AI air traffic control vehicle. Based on a 5G specialized network (Ieum 5G), it receives VR images shot by drones in real time and plays a role in preventing disasters such as forest fires. It is explained that Wi-Fi or 5G is suitable for communicating within a radius of 300 to 400 meters and receiving high-definition images in real time in 8K.

Researcher Choi Bo-hwan from Camtic Comprehensive Technology Institute said, “With the drone support project of Camtic Comprehensive Technology Institute and Jeonju City, it is being used for skills competitions at schools and other places.”

On this day, a drone soccer match by Camtic Integrated Technology Institute, which also won the Sports Minister's Award at the '1st FIDA World Drone Soccer Competition', was held at the exhibition. This competition, in which around 200 athletes from 14 countries including the U.S., Southeast Asia, and Europe participated, is expected to play a leading role in leading drone content for the globalization of drones.

■ K-UAM Consortium Gets Started

UAM (urban air mobility) is expected to shorten the average travel time within Seoul by 70% compared to automobiles. This year, it will take a big step forward in securing the early market to secure international competitiveness.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is preparing safety standards for operational areas such as mechanisms, communication systems, traffic management, and vertiports in preparation for the full-scale commercialization of the demonstration project (Grand Challenge). The consortium, in which participating companies such as aircraft and infrastructure are responsible for each system, will conduct the first stage of the demonstration in Goheung, Jeollanam-do from August of this year to December of next year.

Led by the three major mobile carriers, 46 companies are participating in seven consortia and single fields. The K-UAM Dream Team will demonstrate SKT’s self-developed traffic management operation system, T mobility linkage service, and construction of a 5G airspace network for UAM.

KT will demonstrate integrated operations, including laying the foundation for building an urban vertiport through Hyundai Motor Supernel, Hyundai Engineering & Construction’s traffic management service platform, and vertiport design optimization. LGU+ will demonstrate this with GS Engineering & Construction, Kakao Mobility, and Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 aircraft.

▲2023 Drone · UAM Expo Korea Airports Corporation Future Vertiport

On this day, Korea Airports Corporation introduced a model of a vertiport construction at its booth. Rather than the concept of setting the location of the construction area, it emphasized the concept of large, medium, and small.

Korea Airports Corporation plans to expand its business, starting with the use of drones for tourism in Jeju City and other areas. A company representative predicted, “Vertiport is the infrastructure that requires the most initial business costs, and the relevant business operator will have authority in setting future operating fees, such as toll rates.”

In addition, he expressed his position that it will take time to establish itself as the next-generation mobility connecting urban areas in the future, rather than the concept of replacing the current 100-200 km road traffic.

Incheon International Airport Corporation aims to ultimately implement a smart mobility city by leading mobility through the introduction of UAM and expansion of related industries.

Incheon International Airport Corporation emphasized the need for aircraft types that can secure a certain operating speed and cruising distance, as large-sized vertiports are built in areas away from the city center and accessibility needs to be improved for the smooth operation of passengers, and participation in understanding and demonstrating overseas aircraft development trends is necessary.

Company officials said that starting with the initial tourism industry, they believe that optimizing existing services such as demand and route security will be necessary, and that they are continuing research such as identifying passenger characteristics to estimate potential demand.

▲2023 Drone /UAM Expo Yeosu City


▲2023 Drone/UAM Expo Pablo Aviation

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▲2023 Drone · UAM Expo Korea Aerospace Industries


▲2023 Drone/ UAM Expo Drone Soccer Match

(Photo = Reporter Kim Ye-ji)