SKB Successfully Transmits High-Definition Quantum Encrypted Video Filmed by Drone in Antarctica

Ministry of Science and ICT Quantum Technology Project Execution
High Utilization Expected in Defense and Security Fields

SK Broadband has become the first in the industry to successfully transmit 'drone 4K video' in real-time using quantum security technology in Antarctica. This achievement secures a solution that allows safe investigation and verification of sites in extreme regions where access by humans or ground robots is difficult, without the risk of hacking.

On the 18th, SK Broadband announced that it had completed a demonstration project to transmit high-definition 4K encrypted video filmed by drones in Antarctica in real-time this February, in a consortium with SK Telecom, FineVT, and others.

This project is part of the ‘Quantum Technology Commercialization Discovery and Demonstration Project’ led by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) since June last year. The project is a national initiative to develop technologies, equipment, and services applying quantum technology principles.

The Antarctic demonstration involved drones filming and exploring the ecological environment around the Sejong Station. The drones equipped with quantum security technology transmitted encrypted 4K video in real-time. It is expected to have high applicability in defense and public safety sectors where friend-or-foe identification, location tracking, and security are critical.

SK Broadband, in cooperation with SK Telecom, has been selected as the top project operator for quantum technology-related national projects for four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023, leading related technologies.

Since last year, SK Broadband has also been working on a project applying quantum security technology to Singapore’s public network in collaboration with Singtel, Singapore’s state-owned telecommunications company. Moving forward, it plans to continue advancing quantum technology through mutual cooperation with domestic small and medium enterprises, while establishing commercialization across various public, private, and overseas sectors.

Choi Seung-won, head of ICT infrastructure at SK Broadband, stated, "In the era of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, we will lead the development of technology and provision of solutions tailored to various fields requiring optimal security services, including public institutions, healthcare, and finance."