Commercial-level air taxis arriving soon in South Korea

Seoul, Dec 13 (IANS) The transport ministry said on Friday it will conduct a flight demonstration of a commercial-level air taxi model this week, as part of a government project to introduce the urban air mobility (UAM) industry in the country.

The ministry will demonstrate the operation of the S-4 model built by U.S. electric aircraft manufacturer Joby Aviation Inc. at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute’s aviation center in Goheung, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Saturday.

The demonstration is part of the K-UAM Grand Challenge, a government-led demonstration program that will test UAM vehicle safety and traffic management capabilities for commercial services, reports Yonhap news agency.

The deployment of the S-4, capable of carrying a pilot and up to four passengers, will mark the first use of a commercial-level UAM aircraft in the country.

The demonstration will include testing with UAM operational technologies, such as those involving flight management and air traffic, developed by a consortium formed by SK Telecom Co., Korea Airports Corp. and Hanwha Systems Co.

Meanwhile, the government has pledged comprehensive support toward a pilot program for a commercial air taxi service on the southern resort island of Jeju.

The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province aims to launch the pilot programme on Jeju Island in 2025 in partnership with an urban air mobility (UAM) consortium comprised of public and private firms, including SK Telecom and Hanwha Systems.

The government and the province plan to establish vertiports for air taxi takeoffs and landings initially in three locations: Jeju International Airport, Seongsan Port in Seogwipo and the Jungmun Tourist Complex. The pilot operation will focus on verifying the safety and commercial viability of UAM routes based at these locations.

Jeju plans to apply for the designation of UAM pilot operation zones in 2025.

—IANS

na/