Securing a 38 km² Demonstration Hub
Accelerating the Parts Industry and Public Services
Gumi City in North Gyeongsang Province has been officially selected as the final candidate for the '3rd Drone Special Free Zone' designated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
Gumi City, Gyeongbuk Designated as a Special Drone Free Zone for the Second Consecutive Time, Reborn as a Drone Industry Hub City.
Following its selection in the 2nd round in 2023, Gumi has now been chosen for two consecutive terms, establishing a foundation to become a key hub city for the drone industry.
The Drone Special Free Zone is a system that significantly relaxes regulations to promote the practical use and commercialization of drones, in accordance with the "Act on Promotion and Infrastructure Establishment of Drone Utilization." In this zone, procedures such as special airworthiness certification, flight approval, safety certification, and radio conformity assessment are streamlined, allowing for a substantial reduction in demonstration periods and costs.
The newly designated zone covers approximately 22 kilometers and 38 square kilometers, stretching from the Nakdong River Gumi Weir to the Gunwi Junction of the Jungang Expressway, and includes the areas of Sunsan-eup, Haepyeong-myeon, Sandong-eup, and Jangcheon-myeon. Thanks to its diverse terrain, including rivers and mountainous regions, the area is suitable for multi-purpose demonstrations such as drone delivery, disaster response, and environmental monitoring.
With this designation, Gumi City plans to focus on the following: demonstration of drone delivery services; fostering a regionally specialized drone parts industry; establishing an innovation platform connecting industry, government, academia, and research institutions; and expanding public services such as anti-drone defense systems and wildfire monitoring.
Additionally, to support technology development and commercialization by drone companies, the city will operate the 'Gumi City Drone Council' and expand the industrial ecosystem through regular seminars.
Gumi Mayor Kim Jangho emphasized, "Gumi is a center for the electronics and information and communications industries, and has the infrastructure to independently produce key drone components such as sensors and communication modules. With this designation, we will strategically foster the drone industry and lead the way as a city for future new industries."
Since its initial designation in 2023, Gumi City has promoted various drone demonstration projects in the defense, public, and environmental sectors, and has been gradually building related infrastructure such as drone stations, delivery hubs, and control systems to strengthen the foundation for activating the drone industry.
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