Yoo Young-sang SKT CEO "Bridge for Korea-US UAM Collaboration"
[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] SK Telecom and Joby Aviation have concretized business cooperation to accelerate the commercialization of Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) through a series of executive meetings held locally in the United States.
On the 12th, SK Telecom announced that it reviewed the current status of K-UAM demonstration preparations and discussed initial commercialization plans through CES 2023 and visits to UAM production facilities with Joby Aviation, a leading UAM company.
UAM is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) based air mobility service powered by electricity. It is an eco-friendly transportation mode capable of vertical takeoff and landing without runways in urban areas and can be linked with various ground transportation modes.
SKT formed the 'K-UAM Dream Team Consortium' with Korea Airports Corporation, Hanwha Systems, Korea Meteorological Industry Technology Institute, and Korea Land and Geospatial Informatix Corporation to participate in the first phase of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s UAM demonstration project, the ‘K-UAM Grand Challenge.’ Furthermore, based on close cooperation with Joby Aviation, SKT aims to secure unique demonstration data from the early stages of domestic UAM trials and present a business model leading global UAM commercialization.
Joby Aviation is the strongest player in the UAM aircraft sector, having conducted the world’s most advanced UAM aircraft certification with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NASA. Leveraging its world-class technology, Joby Aviation will participate in the domestic demonstration project with SKT, playing a key role in various areas including aircraft supply and operational know-how cooperation.
Strengthening Comprehensive Business Cooperation... Securing K-UAM’s Global Competitiveness
SKT’s key executives, including President Yoo Young-sang, fully participated in CES 2023 and met with Joby Aviation’s core executives such as CEO Joby Beavers and Vice President Eric Allison. The two companies reviewed ways to strengthen business cooperation for the successful execution of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s UAM demonstration project (K-UAM Grand Challenge Phase 1) this year and for the subsequent commercialization of Korean UAM.
SKT discussed the type certification procedures required to introduce Joby Aviation’s aircraft domestically, various pilot projects to generate initial UAM demand, and ideas to secure vertiport infrastructure, the aircraft takeoff and landing sites, at an early stage to enhance the industrial value of Joby Aviation’s UAM service and expand the ecosystem.
Joby Aviation’s UAM aircraft possesses unparalleled technological capabilities, capable of flying the longest distance (249 km / 1 hour 17 minutes) and at the fastest speed (330 km/h) among all publicly known electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft worldwide. As it is undergoing the fastest aircraft certification process globally, its prompt introduction is expected to contribute to K-UAM’s global competitiveness.
Proposals for Laws and Regulations to Expedite Commercialization
SKT and Joby Aviation also acted as private diplomatic envoys to strengthen Korea-U.S. UAM cooperation. Based on their close partnership, Joby Aviation invited officials from Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology (KIAST), and Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to its headquarters in San Jose, USA, to showcase its production facilities.
This visit was arranged as part of public-private cooperation to commercialize the innovative mobility service UAM, introducing the competitiveness of SKT and Joby Aviation for UAM commercialization and including a session where Korea-U.S. UAM leading companies proposed recommendations to the government for ecosystem activation.
SKT and Joby Aviation stated that through the K-UAM Grand Challenge demonstration project, which officially starts in August this year, they will verify UAM safety and develop it into a sustainable service once operational standards are established.
Moreover, since both companies have made various efforts to accelerate domestic UAM commercialization, they proposed to the government that if policy support continues for operators who are technically and service-wise prepared, they will strive to advance the business more rapidly.
President Yoo said, “As SK Telecom and Joby Aviation enter the second year of full collaboration, we will continue our best efforts to serve as a bridge for Korea-U.S. UAM cooperation and as a vanguard leading the successful commercialization of K-UAM.”
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