[Report] Quieter Than City Noise... UAM to Fly Over the Seoul Metropolitan Area by the End of Next Year

"Commercialization of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) carrying passengers is targeted for the end of 2025. We expect UAM to be utilized in various fields such as tourism and medical services."

In the UAM market led by the US and Europe, Korea's momentum is formidable. Under a free demonstration environment, excellent aircraft from around the world have gathered together. Domestic companies with a testbed in Goheung, Jeollanam-do, are simultaneously competing through the 'Grand Challenge' (GC) and cooperating to create a UAM ecosystem.

UAM refers to a new air transportation system that transports passengers or cargo using eco-friendly electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) within urban areas. It is distinguished from drones by carrying people, and unlike helicopters that use internal combustion engines, it operates with electric motors, emitting no carbon. The global UAM market is expected to grow to a scale of 731 trillion KRW by 2040.

The urban air mobility (UAM) aircraft 'OPPAV' developed with domestic technology / Photo by Noh Kyung-jo

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On the 28th of last month, the UAM demonstration complex at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) Goheung Aerospace Center was occupied by the Hyundai Motor consortium (Hyundai Motor, Korean Air, Incheon International Airport Corporation, KT, Hyundai Construction). They are actively preparing tests for the UAM aircraft 'OPPAV' developed by KARI to fly over the Ara Waterway this August and then over the Han River around April to May next year. The aircraft must pass verification items such as safety and noise at this site to proceed to the next stage.

Each company in the consortium is responsible for aspects suited to their expertise, such as UAM aircraft, vertiports, communication infrastructure and platforms, traffic management, and operations. For example, Korean Air designs the flight control system based on optimized routes and, after approval, monitors weather changes and airspace conditions throughout the flight, transmitting data to enable the pilot to respond flexibly to situations.

They also check for errors in role execution through development testing (DT) at the demonstration complex. KARI explained that the noise measurement flight of OPPAV on that day was more meaningful in confirming that each company's tasks were proceeding smoothly.

OPPAV took off around 4:20 PM and flew a large circle in the sky at a speed of 170 km/h. The 650 kg single-seat body operated unmanned, and about 80 microphones installed on the runway floor captured the noise. Due to ambient sounds like people murmuring and drone noises, OPPAV did not seem particularly loud when it came close to the observation point.

The actual noise level was measured at 61.5 dBA at 130 meters altitude. The noise measurement unit 'dBA' is weighted to better represent the sound level perceived by the human ear; a doubling of noise corresponds to about a 6 dBA difference. Compared to helicopters (80?85 dBA) or urban noise (65 dBA), OPPAV is relatively quiet.

However, since OPPAV is intended for aircraft development and certification technology acquisition, noise reduction technology has not been fully applied. Additionally, there are plans to produce 2- to 6-seater models in the future, allowing pilots to ride along during the early commercialization phase, unlike the demonstration. A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official said, "While the long-term goal is UAM autonomous flight, considering the time required for technology development, public acceptance, and safety, pilots are expected to ride along for about ten years from commercialization. This will also contribute to job creation."

Jung Ki-hoon, Director of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, is introducing the 'K-UAM Grand Challenge Overview and Progress Status' at the Jeonnam Goheung Aviation Center on the 28th of last month. / Photo by Noh Kyung-jo

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UAM is commercializing faster compared to autonomous vehicles. France plans to showcase UAM operations at the '2024 Paris Olympics' this July. Joby Aviation, the first in the US to obtain private certification, is expected to start passenger services in New York and Los Angeles next year. Another US aircraft, Archer, is preparing for commercialization in Chicago next year. Meanwhile, Japan is preparing UAM pilot services at the ‘2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo’.

Meanwhile, Korea is rapidly catching up by enacting the UAM Act, which stipulates regulatory exceptions for existing aviation laws and systems for demonstration and pilot projects. The UAM Act, effective from April, applies minimal safety regulations. The GC, involving 46 companies and 7 consortia, also plays a significant role. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and KARI reported that participation is so high that all but Samsung are involved.

A distinctive feature of GC is the coexistence of multiple aircraft besides OPPAV. The 'K-UAM Dream Team,' led by SK Telecom, Hanwha Systems, and Korea Airports Corporation, plans to introduce Joby’s aircraft and is also developing Hanwha Systems’ own aircraft. The 'UAM Future Team,' consisting of Kakao Mobility, LG Uplus, and GS Construction, uses the British Vertical Aviation’s aircraft. With top-tier aircraft gathering in Korea for demonstration preparations, there is no better environment for building a database (DB).

Jung Ki-hoon, director at KARI, said, "GC has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NASA in the US. This puts us on equal footing in the aerospace industry. We have built a virtual integrated environment system that aggregates major players in a virtual space, trains laws and procedures exactly as in reality, and if there are no issues, proceeds to demonstration. This structure attracts much overseas interest."

It is also notable that GC is not a tournament-style competition with rankings. Any consortium that passes the demonstration test can commercialize UAM. The focus is on creating an ecosystem for global leadership rather than mere competition.

Choi Seung-wook, head of the Urban Air Mobility Policy Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "Although commercialization timing will vary depending on passing tests, after demonstrations over the Ara Waterway, Han River, and Tancheon Stream, the first service will launch in the metropolitan area by the end of next year, and from 2026, various types of leading projects will expand nationwide."

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