The Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) held the 8th main meeting of the Urban Air Mobility Team Korea (UTK) in Seoul on August 29, which presented the 2028 K-UAM commercialisation goals and discussed measures to achieve them.
This meeting presented a new vision for the K-UAM market, which MOLIT said has been “stagnant due to global commercialisation delays”.
As a result of the meeting, revisions have been made to the K-UAM Concept of Operations (ConOps), measures to strengthen technological competitiveness have been presented, and a plan to reorganise the UTK operating system have been introduced, all of which have been jointly developed by the public and private sectors through the UTK Working Group.
The K-UAM ConOps outlines common operational practices to be followed by various operators, including UAM operations, vertiport operation and management, and UAM traffic management. The existing ConOps focused on a single model for urban transportation, outlining the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders for UAM operations and detailed operational procedures for takeoff, flight and landing. However, to quickly launch the UAM market, MOLIT says it is necessary to incorporate a wider range of operational models. Therefore, the ConOps is revised to encompass various commercialisation models, such as public services like emergency medical services and non-urban tourism. This will be phased in, starting with areas with high initial commercialisation potential.
MOLIT expects UAM to enter urban areas starting in 2032, and has pinpointed 145 key technologies necessary for safe operation, including AI-based traffic management, next-generation communication and navigation, batteries and components. These have been selected through a survey with experts. Government-led support will be “significantly strengthened” to ensure final verification and commercialisation after company-led R&D is completed. Three nationwide testbeds will be operated: open areas (Goheung, South Jeolla Province), semi-urban areas (Ulsan), and urban areas (Seoul Metropolitan Area). Aircraft will also be introduced for linked demonstrations to enhance operational technologies such as traffic management and vertiports.
To promote UTK, approximately 230 participating organisations will be evaluated based on their level of participation and contribution. Based on their track record, a core council will be formed, with key organisations receiving authority, including participation and voting rights. Considering that more organisations are needed to establish a foundation for commercialisation, MOLIT notes that all organisations will be given the opportunity to participate in the working group.
Reflecting the recent delays in aircraft development worldwide, the council will prioritise demonstrations using helicopters in areas such as traffic management and vertiport operation. “This will allow for operational experience gains and lay the foundation for a rapid transition to commercialisation after aircraft introduction,” MOLIT said.
Demonstration infrastructure will be permanently established in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, the first phase of the K-UAM Grand Challenge, and in the second phase, urban areas (Korea National Exhibition Centre – KINTEX, Daedeok, and Susaek) will be included to enable continuous and systematic verification of UAM safety and integrated operations. Risk factors for five major safety issues will also be evaluated, namely: bird strikes, winds, radio interference, helicopter and drone operation, and battery safety.
The government is currently finalising the “K-UAM Technology Competitiveness Strengthening Plan” as a roadmap for technology investment in preparation for the UAM growth phase. A preliminary feasibility study is planned for September 2025.
For more information
Image: Shutterstock
This news story has been created with the assistance of translation software.