Drone Taxis to Fly from Seoul to Daegu by 2035... K-UAM Commercialization in 2025

Government Finalizes Pan-Government 'Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) Technology Roadmap'

On the 11th, a drone taxi is undergoing a pilot operation ahead of commercialization at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kangwook Cho] The government announced on the 31st that it has submitted and approved the ‘Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) Technology Roadmap (hereinafter referred to as the Technology Roadmap),’ a technology development blueprint for the practical use of urban air mobility prepared jointly by related ministries including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and the Korea Meteorological Administration, at the 32nd Central Economic Countermeasures Headquarters meeting.

The Technology Roadmap confirmed at the Economic Countermeasures Headquarters meeting is a follow-up to the Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) Roadmap announced in June last year, containing core technology acquisition strategies necessary for utilizing UAM as a means of transportation. The roadmap preparation process focused on feasibility by reviewing opinions not only from experts in industry, academia, and research but also from actual UAM business participants.

In particular, since UAM is a new mode of transportation, the roadmap identified necessary technologies and set goals based on a scenario dividing the market into three major stages assuming actual operation: initial stage (’25?’29), growth stage (’30?’34), and maturity stage (’35 and beyond).

As a result, it was concluded that if safety and social acceptance are secured, economic viability as a transportation means can be achieved through technology development. By the maturity stage in 2035, thanks to increased battery capacity and aircraft weight reduction, the flight range is expected to increase to 300 km (approximately Seoul to Daegu), and speed is projected to double from 150 km/h in 2025 to 300 km/h. Additionally, autonomous flight, nighttime operation, route expansion due to increased takeoff and landing sites, and economies of scale from establishing aircraft mass production systems are expected to lead to fare rationalization, enabling popularization as a transportation mode.

The government has established a promotion strategy with core goals of ‘safety, acceptance, economic feasibility, sustainability, and mutual development.’

Through this, technologies to ensure aircraft and passenger safety will be developed as a top priority, and friendly technologies to increase public acceptance will be secured. For economic feasibility, commercial technologies such as mass production and maintenance will be prepared, and a technology and ecosystem that lead sustainability, including workforce development, will be built. At the same time, technology exchanges that induce mutual development will be expanded.

With the confirmation of this roadmap, the government explained that a foundation has been established for the government, local governments, and the private sector to share common goals and promote technology development for the realization of UAM.

The government also plans to jointly plan new multi-ministry R&D projects to support technology development in areas requiring government assistance until 2035. Furthermore, the enactment of a UAM Special Act for demonstration in the UAM technology field through the ‘K-UAM Grand Challenge’ and its linkage and utilization will be steadily promoted.

Kim Sang-do, Director of the Aviation Policy Office at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, “Although UAM is a market not yet realized, it is a new market that can compete with major advanced countries, unlike the existing aviation sector, and a challenge. Since an opportunity has opened for Korea’s aviation industry to take a leap forward, we will actively cooperate with related agencies to ensure the smooth implementation of the new technology roadmap.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.