Drones, Unmanned Vessels, and Vehicles Deployed Together... Korean Unmanned Systems Enter Coastal Security Operations

Ministry of Science and ICT Opens Korea’s First Integrated Land, Sea, and Air Test Site
To Be Used for Monitoring Illegal Entry and Pollution

Drones, unmanned vessels, and unmanned vehicles developed in Korea are now being deployed for real coastal security and maritime surveillance missions. With the opening of Korea’s first integrated test site capable of simultaneously operating unmanned systems on land, sea, and air as a single system, the on-site application of domestic unmanned vehicle technology has also begun in earnest.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on May 8 that it has opened the "Unmanned Vehicle Coastal Mission Test Site" at the Drone Industry Support Center in Dangjin City, South Chungcheong Province.

Reference photo to aid understanding of the article. The Asia Business Daily DB

This test site is Korea’s first integrated facility where unmanned vehicles for land, sea, and air can be operated and tested simultaneously, including the testing of collaboration technologies. It is equipped with a runway and helipad, and its proximity to the sea enables joint demonstrations of drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, and unmanned vessels all in one location.

The Ministry explained that the establishment of this facility has laid the groundwork for the real-world application of "multiple and heterogeneous unmanned vehicle integrated control" technology. This technology enables the simultaneous control and operation of various unmanned vehicles—such as drones, unmanned vessels, and unmanned vehicles—within a single system.

"Monitoring Illegal Entry and Maritime Accidents"... Expansion of Practical Operations

At the site on this day, demonstrations were held showcasing integrated control technology and flight demonstrations by domestic drone companies.

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute and the Korea Electronics Technology Institute unveiled integrated control technology that allows multiple aircraft to conduct maritime surveillance and reconnaissance simultaneously. In addition, Narma, AMP, and UMAC Air each presented technologies such as shipborne takeoff and landing drones, coastal surveillance multicopters, and wide-area patrol systems based on vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft.

Moving forward, the Ministry of Science and ICT plans to work with the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) and the Korea Coast Guard to apply unmanned vehicle integrated control technology to real coastal security missions such as monitoring illegal entry, detecting sources of pollution, and monitoring maritime accidents.

Oh Daehyun, Director of Future Strategy and Technology Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "The establishment of Korea’s first integrated land, sea, and air test facility will serve as a turning point for the full-scale field application of our unmanned vehicle technology," adding, "We will expand its use into areas such as disaster and accident response that the public can directly experience."

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