Drones, which have emerged as a key field of the 4th industrial revolution, are no longer just a thing of the past when it comes to transporting cargo. Drones that used to fly for defense and agricultural purposes are now flying over the ocean, making the drone delivery market fully visible.

Marine Drone Technology Co., Ltd., which launched the first cargo delivery drone in Korea in 2021, introduced a drone delivery platform at the '2023 Drone Show Korea' and took the lead in activating the drone industry.

Founded in 2018, Marine Drone Technology Co., Ltd. first developed the maritime drone delivery service ‘Naraon’ for sailors stranded at sea due to landing restrictions at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

'Naraon' refers to a platform package that includes drones, drone control systems, and systems. It is currently positioned as a platform that connects ships and local businesses, and is expanding its vision as a carbon-neutral practice company to eliminate logistics blind spots.

There are many delivery drones on the market, but Marine Drone Technology Co., Ltd. is the only one that has actually commercialized it. We have been operating the service for over two years with the sea as the main stage.

At the exhibition that day, Marine Drone Technology Co., Ltd. introduced the drone 'MDT-1600' equipped with delivery equipment. This drone, which is currently moving between ships and has completed about 700 free deliveries over the past two years, can fly for up to 60 minutes and can fly within a 10km radius for up to 40 minutes when transporting 6kg of cargo.

Hong Woon-hee, head of the Marine Drone Technology Research Institute, said, “Currently, the MDT-1600 is the only battery drone that can carry 5 kg and deliver 10 km.” He also said, “Compared to engines, batteries are being widely adopted in drones because the system is simple and easy to operate,” and “This has enabled us to offer a reasonable price.”

Marine Drone Technology Co., Ltd. was established in 2018 and has specialized technologies in marine drone research and development, aerial photography of naval vessels, and underwater drone operation. In 2021, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Future Drone Transportation Officer issued a business registration certificate for maritime cargo delivery using drones to the Busan Regional Aviation Office.

Director Hong said, “Drones for flights beyond visual line of sight must be approved by the Aviation Safety Technology Institute, and these are called special flights. “We are operating the drone with a permit, ensuring that it is sufficiently reliable and has safety measures in place to meet the requirements,” he said.

■ Join hands with British future mobility company 'Skyports'
Marine Drone Technology Co., Ltd. is leading the future of the domestic drone service industry by joining hands with leading future mobility companies.

On the 24th, at BEXCO in Busan where the '2023 Drone Show Korea' was held, Marine Drone Technology Co., Ltd. announced that it had established a joint venture with Skyports, a leading UK future air mobility company, and launched 'Skyports Drone Services Korea'. At the event that day, both companies held an opening ceremony for the corporation.

The two companies will work together to provide customer-centric, customized drone solutions by pooling their opinions on the drone industry’s core values, including connectivity, productivity, and safety.

Marine Drone Technology Co., Ltd. will strengthen its capabilities centered on Busan Port and Yeosu Port by focusing on its drone delivery platform operation know-how and Skyports’ AAM infrastructure and drone service capabilities.

Alex Brown, Director of Skyports Drone Service, said, “Korea has a well-established future-oriented and innovative technology ecosystem, and this collaboration will have a positive impact and contribution to the Korean drone service market. As both companies continue to pursue value-centered innovation, Skyports Drone Service Korea will strive to play a leading role in the future of Korea’s drone industry.”

Hwang Ui-cheol, CEO of Marine Drone Technology, said, “We are grateful that Skyports has sympathized with our vision and two-year journey to commercialize and commercialize drone delivery. In the future, we will strengthen our expertise in drone technology to provide the best drone delivery service to ships and customers around the world calling at Korean ports and become a company that solves various problems in our society by utilizing drones.”

Meanwhile, the '2023 Drone Show Korea', held at BEXCO in Busan from the 23rd to the 25th, will feature 625 booths from 172 companies, a conference with 46 speakers and moderators from 8 countries, and various experiential events for visitors.