KT Obtains UAM Demonstration Operator Qualification... Launches Phase 2 Trials on Ara Waterway

K-UAM Grand Challenge Phase 2 Demonstration
First Urban Test of 5G Aviation Network in Korea
Verification of Low-Altitude Airspace Monitoring and Traffic Surveillance System

KT announced on October 22 that it has obtained qualification as an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) demonstration operator from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. This recognition from the government acknowledges KT's advanced technological capabilities and operational competence for the UAM industry, which is gaining attention as a next-generation mode of transportation.

KT employees are inspecting key technological elements of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) along the Incheon Ara Waterway section. Photo by KT

Last year, KT successfully conducted the first phase of the Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) Grand Challenge in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, verifying key technological elements such as integrated operations, flight safety, and control system interoperability. In addition, KT met all equipment and personnel requirements stipulated by the UAM Special Act and was recognized for its advanced technology and operational systems, leading to its qualification as a UAM demonstration operator by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

With this qualification, KT is set to become a key player in driving the commercialization of UAM in Korea. Organizations granted demonstration operator status under the Urban Air Mobility Act may be given priority in being designated as UAM operators based on their demonstration results, which is expected to serve as a crucial stepping stone in the future K-UAM commercialization roadmap.

Starting at the end of this month, KT will conduct the second phase of the K-UAM Grand Challenge along the Ara Waterway section from Gyeyang to Cheongna in Incheon. Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Incheon International Airport Corporation, and Korean Air will participate as part of the K-UAM One Team. For the first time in Korea, the integrated operability of a UAM operation system based on a 5G aviation network will be tested in an urban environment, with the main focus on verifying the ability of various UAM stakeholders to respond collectively to a range of abnormal flight situations.

The demonstration will simulate unexpected situations that may occur during actual operations, such as communication failures, unstable GPS signals, adverse weather conditions, and aircraft malfunctions, to test whether the UAM traffic management system's real-time decision-making and control functions operate appropriately. The traditional voice-based flight approval process will be converted to an automated data communication method, demonstrating a digital operation system suitable for high-density flight environments.

To ensure rapid and accurate responses to unexpected situations, KT has developed its own simulation system that incorporates the Korean UAM operational concept and the flight dynamics model of e-VTOL aircraft. This system is used to virtually reproduce various unexpected scenarios, such as communication loss, GPS errors, and weather changes, allowing pre-verification of coordinated response procedures between the aircraft and the traffic management system.

Additionally, KT plans to verify a traffic surveillance system that can stably monitor low-altitude airspace by integrating 5G aviation network-based high-precision positioning technology (RTK-GNSS) with existing air traffic surveillance systems such as ADS-B and MLAT. This will enable the monitoring of non-cooperative aircraft and surveillance in the event of GPS outages.

Furthermore, KT will demonstrate an integrated information exchange system that shares real-time data required for UAM operations-including surveillance information, weather, and flight plans-with relevant UAM organizations. Through this, KT aims to contribute to the establishment of a safe and efficient traffic management system from the early stages of UAM commercialization.

Previously, KT successfully completed the construction of a 5G aviation network utilizing the 800MHz FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) band along a 15-kilometer UAM corridor built along the Incheon Ara Waterway, ensuring stable 5G connectivity.

In particular, by applying highly efficient high-gain antennas, stable communication across the entire section is possible with fewer base stations compared to conventional methods. In this second phase demonstration, KT also plans to verify the stability of communication quality through the 5G aviation network along the entire UAM flight route.

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