[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] On the 10th, Goheung-gun, Jeonnam announced that it will create the "Goheung Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Specialized Complex" in the Goheung-eup Aviation Center area to foster the drone industry, a technology-intensive sector of the 4th industrial revolution.
Goheung-gun has optimal conditions for drone-related companies to settle, including the nation's largest flight test airspace and the only national comprehensive flight performance test center in Korea. Therefore, the establishment of a specialized complex is urgently needed to create a drone cluster through the concentration of drone companies and related facilities.
Accordingly, the basic plan and feasibility study for the establishment of the UAV specialized complex were commissioned in December 2019 and are currently underway, with completion planned by the end of July this year.
The specialized complex will be constructed in the Goheung-eup Aviation Center area (R&D site) with a target completion in 2023. A total project cost of 9.9 billion KRW (national funds 3.8 billion, county funds 5.4 billion, others 0.7 billion) will be invested, and 80% of the specialized UAV industries including UAV research and development, manufacturing, testing, software, and MRO will be housed.
The county plans to collect various opinions related to project promotion, including public development methods, apply for industrial complex designation to Jeonnam Province by the end of July this year, and conduct industrial complex development and implementation plan establishment studies around October.
Through the "5G-based Drone Smart Farming Demonstration Project," selected as a Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy public project, the establishment of a drone commercialization demonstration support center, integrated control center, big data system, and performance evaluation equipment will accelerate the attraction of drone companies within the specialized complex.
Additionally, the Drone Knowledge Industry Center is progressing smoothly with a current completion rate of 28%, targeting completion by June next year. The county continues to manage 10 drone companies with which it signed a business agreement last year and is focusing administrative efforts on discovering new drone companies to move into the center, expecting it to serve as a hub for drone companies in the future.
County Governor Song Guigeun stated, "Once the unmanned aerial agricultural technology specialized agro-industrial complex is established, Goheung is expected to secure expertise and stability in the UAV field by linking UAV development suitability, operational verification, and technology and startup support services," adding, "We expect it to greatly contribute to job creation and regional economic revitalization by attracting about 30 drone companies."
Furthermore, to attract companies, the county plans to continuously implement support projects such as investment company subsidy systems, designation of drone regulatory-free zones and special drone deregulation zones, and expansion of drone public service market sectors to establish a growth foundation for drone companies.
Meanwhile, near the project site, drone-related infrastructure such as the Aviation Center and National Flight Comprehensive Performance Test Center is being established, and specialized institutions like the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Aviation Safety Technology Institute, and Jeonnam Technopark are located there to support research and development and corporate support.
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