Drone Used Officially for Cargo Delivery for the First Time... Transport Time Reduced from 40 Minutes to 5 Minutes

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Issues Cargo Delivery Drone Business Registration Certificate
Lightweight Cargo Delivery to Ships Docked at Sea
Significant Reduction in Transport Time... Costs Reduced to One-Eighth

Drone Utilization in Goods Delivery Process (Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] Drones are being used for cargo delivery purposes for the first time.

On the 24th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced, "Drones, which have been used in fields such as filming, surveillance, and agriculture, will begin their first official flight for cargo delivery of lightweight goods."

On the same day, the Ministry issued a business registration certificate for a maritime goods delivery project using drones. The business operator is 'Haeyang Drone Technology,' a drone-specialized company established in 2018.

Although there have been many tests and demonstrations using drones for cargo delivery, this is the first time a business registration certificate including cargo delivery has been issued.

This drone business model involves delivering lightweight items needed by crew members?such as mobile phone SIM cards, documents, disinfectants, and masks?from the Namoe Port dock in Busan to domestic coastal vessels anchored about 2 km offshore via drone.

Compared to traditional ship transport, the delivery time is expected to be reduced from 40 minutes to 5 minutes, and costs are expected to decrease from 400,000 won to around 50,000 won.

The Busan Regional Aviation Administration verified safety through three on-site inspections, expert training, and technical reviews before issuing the registration certificate.

Using drones for delivery can narrow logistics blind spots in the era of contactless preference due to COVID-19, and also reduce concerns about safety and privacy infringement.

Kim Sangdo, Director of the Aviation Policy Office at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said regarding this project, "Although the scale is not large, it is significant as the first paid drone delivery business attempted domestically, commercializing a niche market," and added, "We will strive to activate commercialization, including expanding drone delivery areas in the future."