Interview with Inspace CEO Choi Myung-jin Embraced by Hancom Group
Daejeon Fire Stations Introduce Drone Sets at 26 Locations
Fully Automated Operation Without Need for Manual Control
[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] When a fire breaks out, drones are the first to arrive at the scene via aerial routes. The 119 rescue team members watch the footage sent by the drones through a smartphone application (app) while dispatching, and they take initial measures such as deciding whether to deploy more fire trucks or add personnel. Although it sounds like a story from the distant future, this drone system by Hancom Group will soon be applied at 26 fire stations in Daejeon City.
Choi Myung-jin, CEO of Inspace, which recently joined Hancom Group, stated in an interview with Asia Economy on the 18th, "Hancom Group is planning various services utilizing drones in line with the drone era." Inspace is a company that owns 'DroneSAT,' a drone video processing technology. DroneSAT applies artificial intelligence (AI) technology to capture drone footage and analyze information. It is an automated system equipped with a control system that pilots the drone and performs missions, eliminating the need for a human operator.
Hancom Group acquired Inspace, a space and drone specialized company, and is drawing a blueprint for the 'drone service platform' business. For example, the 'app' through which firefighters view fire scene footage captured by DroneSAT is part of the drone service platform. Hancom Lifecare is also planning to integrate Inspace's drone video and processing analysis technology into its 'fire safety platform' currently under development.
In practice, Inspace's drones equipped with DroneSAT are being utilized in various fields such as fire prevention and reconnaissance. In Bukhansan National Park, DroneSAT monitors forest fires and helps locate stranded or missing persons. At Changwon NC Park in Gyeongnam, it is used as a so-called 'sky CCTV' for reconnaissance. CEO Choi is also considering ways to integrate drones into the logistics industry. This involves using drone cameras to capture and analyze items stored in warehouses for management purposes.
CEO Choi is interested in the drone software sector. Currently, the drone hardware market is monopolized by foreign companies such as China's DJI. He said, "It is difficult to catch up with the advanced countries' drone hardware technology, but by activating software installed on drones, we can target the drone market." He added, "If we first focus on the 'submarkets' that utilize drones and approach from a broad perspective, it can definitely become a powerful weapon to expand the market globally."
The related market size is also growing steadily. According to market research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global drone service market is expected to grow from 5.2637 trillion KRW in 2019 to 75.5915 trillion KRW by 2025. CEO Choi stated, "Hancom Group is almost the first company in Korea to operate drones as a platform service," and "Our first goal is to lead the global drone service utilization market."
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