Delivery to Biyangdo in 3-4 Minutes
Usage Fee 3,000-5,000 Won
Expansion to Marado and Gapado Planned This Month
"Living long, and now chicken flies to Biyangdo."
On Biyangdo, an islet affiliated with Jeju Island, it has become possible to receive deliveries of chicken, hamburgers, and more via drone. Drone transportation will also begin this month on Gapado and Marado.
A drone carrying chicken is landing on Biyangdo Island, Hallim-eup, Jeju City on the 3rd. [Photo by Jeju Province]
On the 8th, Yonhap News and others reported that drone delivery service started on the 3rd on Biyangdo, located in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, an islet affiliated with Jeju Island, delivering chicken, hamburgers, and other items to residents. After the boat service to Biyangdo ended that day, a drone departing from Geumnung Port on Jeju’s main island successfully delivered two chickens across the sea to Biyangdo in 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
Biyangdo residents responded with comments such as, "Having lived long, I’m experiencing such amazing things," and "Next time my grandchildren come to the island, I definitely want to order chicken for them."
Jeju Province has proposed drone utilization demonstration items suited to island characteristics and has been promoting the country’s first drone demonstration city project since 2019. Starting with Biyangdo on the 3rd, drone delivery services will begin this month on Gapado and Marado as well.
Drone delivery is available during logistics-vulnerable hours when boats do not operate, from 4 PM to 8 PM. Essential daily goods and delivery food can be sent from the main island to affiliated islets, and specialty products from the islets can be sent back to the main island. Biyangdo can use the service every Thursday and Friday, while Gapado and Marado will be able to use it every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 4 PM to 8 PM after establishing drone delivery systems within this month.
Delivery weight and time vary depending on the distance from the main island and drone characteristics. For one drone flight, Biyangdo and Marado can deliver lightweight daily goods up to 3 kg, while Gapado can deliver heavier goods up to 15 kg. Three kilograms corresponds roughly to the weight of two chickens. Estimated drone flight times are about 3 minutes 30 seconds from Geumnung Port to Biyangdo, about 10 minutes from Sangmo-ri to Gapado, and 20 minutes from Sangmo-ri to Marado.
Currently, on Biyangdo, orders can be placed from 10 franchise stores including chicken shops located in Geumnung, Jeju main island. On Gapado and Marado, four franchise stores including chicken shops and marts in Sangmo-ri are available. Delivery fees are 3,000 KRW per trip for residents of the affiliated islets and 5,000 KRW per trip for tourists. When residents send specialty products back to the main island, a delivery fee of 10,000 KRW is charged. However, Jeju Province plans to raise delivery fees next year for distant locations like Marado, considering labor costs and distance.
Drone delivery does not require a separate operator as the drones automatically arrive at designated locations once users load the items.
Jeju Province plans to build a drone delivery center at Geumnung Port in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, near Biyangdo to support drone delivery there. Additionally, a drone delivery center will be established this month in Sangmo-ri, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo City, to start drone transportation to Gapado and Marado.
Yang Jeyoon, Director of the Innovation Industry Bureau of Jeju Province, stated, "We expect drones to play a significant role in providing convenience to residents of Jeju’s remote islands in the future."
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