T Map Mobility and Jobi Aviation Design 'Korean-Style UAM Routes'

Joint Research with Global UAM Companies
Utilizing 20 Years of Accumulated Tmap Data for Route and Vertiport Site Selection

Appearance of Jobi Airlines Aircraft

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Cha] T map Mobility announced on the 4th that it has signed a strategic business agreement (MOU) with global urban air mobility (UAM) company Joby Aviation and has begun joint research for a 'Korean-style UAM service.'

Joby Aviation is a vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) manufacturer established in the United States in 2009. It is regarded as the company closest to commercializing so-called 'air taxis' in the global market. It is the only operator to have received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for commercial flight based on the longest flight record.

The two companies plan to utilize T map Mobility’s over 20 years of accumulated population movement and vehicle operation data to select domestic UAM routes and vertiport (UAM takeoff and landing site) locations. They will also collaborate in various fields such as developing platforms that can actually use UAM, infrastructure design, and optimizing domestic services.

Joby Aviation has been cooperating with SK Telecom, the parent company of T map Mobility. In Korea, they have collaborated to participate in the government-led UAM demonstration project, the 'Korean UAM Grand Challenge (K-UAM).' This project, supported by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for safety verification, testing, and demonstration, aims for commercialization in 2025. Upon commercialization of the K-UAM project, it will be integrated into the T map platform and linked with T map Mobility’s Mobility as a Service (MaaS).

Justin Lang, Head of Partnerships and Corporate Strategy at Joby Aviation, said, “T map is an excellent partner and platform with a broad understanding of the Korean mobility market. Through cooperation between the two companies, we will introduce the most comfortable and eco-friendly UAM service to the Korean market and improve consumers’ lives.”

Lee Jong-ho, CEO of T map Mobility, said, “Through collaboration with Joby Aviation, T map Mobility will grow into a platform business that seamlessly connects all means of transportation on land and in the sky. In addition to the various transportation modes currently expanding with domestic operators, we will continue to innovate in the UAM field, which is considered a representative future mobility service.”

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