Korean Air has signed an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) research and development (R&D) cooperation agreement with Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to establish a safe and efficient UAM transportation management system.
The three organisations will conduct joint R&D to establish a UAM operations and transportation management system and develop the UAM industry.
Through the cooperation, Korean Air plans to utilise the technical capabilities of each organisation to achieve meaningful results.
Korean Air aims to develop the domestic UAM industry through synergy with the IIAC, which has air navigation safety facilities and airport construction and operation capabilities, and KARI with its research competencies regarding future air traffic management.
As the next solution to solve traffic congestion and environmental problems by utilising city skyways, UAM’s global market worth is expected to reach about USD 1.5 trillion by 2040. Accordingly, the Korean government formed UAM Team Korea in June 2020 in a proactive effort to commercialise UAM in Korea by 2025. The government is leading public and private sector cooperation while it pushes for the early stabilisation of Korean urban air transportation.
Korean Air has also shared plans to create a foundation for UAM in Korea by increasing its technical co-operation with government agencies and research institutes, while actively establishing infrastructure and operating control systems to open up the city skyways.
