The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 27th that it will establish a dedicated drone flight test site in Uiseong, Gyeongbuk, in cooperation with the Korea Aviation Safety Technology Institute.
The dedicated drone flight test site will include a flight control center, maintenance hangar, flight simulator room, and takeoff and landing area. Nine types of equipment such as radar systems, weather information observation systems, and integrated information processing operation systems will also be installed.
Based on a survey of drone companies' needs, jamming (radio interference and disruption) test equipment for anti-drone testing and research will also be installed.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to start construction of the drone flight test site on the 28th and complete it next year. After trial operation of the installed equipment, full operation will begin in 2024.
Currently, there are five drone flight test sites nationwide (Yeongwol, Boeun, Goseong, Hwaseong, Incheon). The Uiseong dedicated drone flight test site will handle drone development test flights and issuance of flight performance certificates for the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions.
The Ministry plans to establish a drone flight test airspace next year around the Uiseong drone flight test site to ensure safe and smooth drone testing.
Kim Dong-hyun, head of the Advanced Aviation Division at the Ministry, said, "This is the first drone test development infrastructure to be established in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk region," adding, "It is expected to be usefully utilized for drone development and performance testing."
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