Hanwha Systems Enters 'Air Shuttle' Project for Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport

'K-UAM Dream Team' Consortium Takes First Step Toward Daegu City UAM Service in 2026

Image of the UAM aircraft 'Butterfly' under development by Hanwha Systems. Photo by Hanwha Systems

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jung] Hanwha Systems is embarking on the development of the 'UAM (Urban Air Mobility) Air Shuttle' project connecting Daegu Metropolitan City with Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport and downtown Daegu.

On the 27th, Hanwha Systems signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Daegu Metropolitan City for the commercialization of UAM at the '2022 Daegu International Future Mobility Expo' held at Daegu EXCO, together with the 'K-UAM Dream Team' consortium composed of Korea Airports Corporation, SK Telecom, and T Map Mobility.

The 'K-UAM Dream Team' aims to establish UAM air shuttles between Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport and downtown areas such as Dongdaegu Station to enhance accessibility and convenience to the new airport, and to form a Daegu-Gyeongbuk UAM network to create a Regional Air Mobility (RAM) system connecting Daegu, the hub city.

Daegu City and the 'K-UAM Dream Team' consortium will undergo a demonstration phase from 2023 to 2025, including virtual flight scenario verification and service route development. Starting in 2026, pilot projects will begin to identify tourism and business demand, and through expanding routes in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk metropolitan area, they plan to establish profitable routes. With the opening of Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport in 2030, Daegu's UAM service will be fully commercialized. Daegu City plans to build UAM infrastructure at the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport and the Daegu Airport rear site to grow as a 'UAM-specialized smart city.'

Hanwha Systems will participate in developing UAM control and navigation solutions for Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport and will be responsible for supplying aircraft and maintenance (MRO) for the downtown 'UAM Air Shuttle' project. Hanwha Systems is preparing for a test flight of a full-scale unmanned prototype next year and is proceeding as planned to obtain type certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2025 in collaboration with its joint developer, the U.S.-based Overair Inc. It is also specialized in developing control system technology for navigation and control infrastructure (CNSi) necessary for UAM operations.

Through this MOU, the 'K-UAM Dream Team' consortium has decided to rapidly advance Daegu City's UAM commercial service with a super-collaborative business model that combines the strengths of private companies, public enterprises, and local governments. ▲ Korea Airports Corporation will build UAM vertiports linked to Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport and provide UAM traffic management services using navigation facility infrastructure ▲ SK Telecom will operate UAM services and UAM-specialized airspace networks ▲ T Map Mobility will develop and operate a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform integrating UAM and ground transportation ▲ Daegu Metropolitan City will provide UAM operation sites and infrastructure, as well as handle permits and administrative support.

Seongcheol Uh, CEO of Hanwha Systems, stated, "Using Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport, which will develop into a central airport in the mid-southern region, as a hub, we will contribute to regional mobility innovation through UAM, a new transportation means connecting Daegu attractions as well as Gyeongju and Pohang tourist resources in Gyeongbuk." He added, "We believe that the UAM industry, which is analyzed to create 160,000 domestic jobs and induce 23 trillion KRW in production by 2040, will further develop Daegu and the Gyeongbuk region."

Hong Jun-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, said, "This agreement is expected to greatly contribute to setting the UAM business milestones in Daegu with the consortium possessing the highest domestic capabilities related to UAM." He added, "We will provide unwavering policy support so that Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport's opening can become a game changer in the UAM market."

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