Although urban air mobility (UAM) is expected to be commercialized in about 25 years, most people are still unaware of the technological and service levels. Accordingly, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport increased the public’s acceptance of UAM through flight demonstration events.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it held an urban air mobility (UAM) flight demonstration event, which has been promoted since 2020, at Ara Marina in Gimpo on the 23rd. It was reported that approximately 400 people attended the event, including National Assembly member Kim Joo-young, local government heads including the mayor of Gimpo, the president of Korea Airports Corporation, the director of the Korea Aviation Safety Technology Institute, representatives of private companies (Hyundai Motor Company, Hanwha Systems, etc.), foreign invited guests (airport authorities, etc.), students, and citizens.

This year's event, now in its third year, saw the first flight demonstration of aircraft (two units) manufactured by our companies.

The event showcased an actual vertiport built inside a building (remodeled from an existing building) where UAM aircraft can take off and land, providing an example of UAM-based infrastructure that will be built in our city center in the future.

At the event that day, the Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said that he personally implemented the entire process of using UAM, from reservation to check-in, boarding, and landing, on-site.

In addition, the autonomous vehicle manufactured by 'ThorDrive' was used as a connecting transportation for UAM use, and the sixth meeting of the Youth Foundation (Chairman Jang Ye-chan) and the Sprout Enterprise Communication Relay for the Activation of New Industries in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was introduced to support our companies through events such as this.

Minister Won and event attendees discussed government policies such as establishing UAM laws and systems and supporting technology development, as well as corporate support measures.

It was emphasized that the government and the private sector should work together to activate the industrial ecosystem consisting of aircraft, transportation systems, and takeoff and landing fields (vertiports), as well as the government support program (Grand Challenge) that will be launched next year for UAM flight tests and verification.

The 'UAM International Conference' held as a side event will present trends in establishing UAM transportation systems and promoting certification in major countries, and the opinions of domestic and foreign companies in the UAM industry.Discussions were held on the status of industry promotion, UAM verification and pilot projects in major countries, etc. It appears that leading organizations and companies in each field will be able to establish a foundation for global cooperation in future policy consultations and technology standardization discussions.

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong said, “UAM is a game changer for urban transportation that will allow people to escape increasingly congested roads and use the skies. To ensure that a new transportation system is established as soon as possible, the government will actively carry out its role in areas such as promoting UAM verification and pilot projects based on cooperation with the private sector, enacting laws centered on regulatory exceptions, R&D to enhance technological competitiveness, and international cooperation.”