The Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) announced on July 6, 2025, that it is operating a safety management system centered on the TS Drone Situation Management Center to ensure the safe implementation of drone delivery services.
Previously, as part of this year's drone demonstration city project, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport began drone delivery demonstrations this month in 23 local governments nationwide. This process aims to verify the social utility and feasibility of drone delivery at the service stage, which enhances public convenience by responding to delivery demands for daily necessities, parcels, and food items.
The TS Drone Situation Management Center operates the real-time Drone Identification Management System (K-DRIMS). All drones participating in this demonstration are required to be equipped with identification devices, and the center monitors delivery operations nationwide. Monitoring items include the drone aircraft, operator, location, altitude, flight time, route flight, and insurance information. The center analyzes and manages real-time collected drone identification data, enabling immediate response in the event of violations, accidents, or other abnormal signs.
The authority collaborates with Chungnam National University, a specialized institution for drone flight routes, and Airon, which utilizes AI-based automation design, to create customized flight routes. Local environmental conditions such as terrain and structures are taken into account. Safety testing procedures are established before, during, and after flights to preemptively block potential safety threats.
The authority explained that it has applied the safety management approval system used in the aviation and railway sectors to drone delivery. In addition to appointing safety managers, it is establishing region-specific standards for risk management, hazard factor analysis, and safety education, as well as strengthening accident prevention and response systems. Moving forward, the authority will also check whether safety measures have been established during on-site inspections.
The authority is also supporting the commercialization of drone delivery in connection with the distribution and logistics industries. There have been criticisms that previous drone delivery demonstrations, which focused mainly on drone operation companies, lacked real-life relevance. Starting this year, the authority has decided to conduct commercial drone delivery demonstrations in partnership with distribution companies and local logistics firms.
Jung Yongshik, President of the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, stated, "Drone delivery is transitioning from the demonstration stage to a commercial service that the public can experience and trust," adding, "We will help achieve sustainable development by integrating the management of drone delivery nationwide."
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