Korean Air, in collaboration with several key partners, has successfully completed the world’s first comprehensive urban air mobility (UAM) operations demonstration, marking a significant milestone in the first phase of the Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) Grand Challenge. The five-week demonstration, conducted from March 11 at Goheung Aviation Test Center in South Jeolla Province, involved Hyundai Motor Company, Korea Telecom (KT), Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC), and Hyundai Engineering & Construction.
During the demonstration, Korean Air validated its comprehensive UAM system by utilizing a 5G aviation communication network that connects electric vertical take-off and landing (e-VTOL) aircraft with the UAM operating systems. The airline leveraged its extensive operational expertise to demonstrate the reliability and effectiveness of its proprietary UAM Operation Control System and Traffic Management System, which were developed in-house to ensure safe and efficient urban air travel.
Korean Air conducted ten scenarios, including both normal and abnormal situations, to test the functionality and performance of the operating systems. The data collected from these scenarios will be analyzed to enhance the systems and ensure safe UAM operations in high-density urban environments.
The airline’s involvement in the UAM initiative stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), Incheon International Airport Corporation, and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) on February 22, 2023. The agreement aims to test the feasibility of comprehensive UAM operations in Korea, with Korean Air continuing to engage in various UAM initiatives and working to validate and enhance government-established UAM concepts and procedures to develop the UAM ecosystem in the country.
The successful completion of this comprehensive UAM operations demonstration marks a significant step forward in the development of urban air mobility in Korea and showcases Korean Air’s commitment to leading the way in this innovative field.
