AI Drone Disaster Response and Forest Fire Suppression Demonstrations in Useong and Sagok for Two Years
Accelerating Technology Development and Commercialization for Participating Companies
Gongju City has been selected as a special drone deregulation zone by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. / Gongju City
On August 5, Gongju City in South Chungcheong Province announced that it had been finally selected in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's competition for the '3rd Drone Special Free Zone Designation.' As a result, the city has gained momentum in fostering the drone industry, a core sector of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The Drone Special Free Zone is a designated area where various regulations related to drone operations, such as flight approval and safety certification, are either exempted or simplified. The purpose of this zone is to promote the demonstration and commercialization of innovative drone service models.
Centered around the Useong-myeon and Sagok-myeon areas, the city will, over the next two years, promote the demonstration of various advanced drone service models, including: high-payload drone delivery for disaster and emergency response; high-payload fire-extinguishing drone bombs for forest fire suppression; the establishment of a standard expandable artificial intelligence (AI) platform for interconnection between heterogeneous drones; and AI-based drone patrols for forest fire monitoring and prevention.
In particular, through this project, participating companies will be able to simultaneously develop technologies and commercialize them without the burden of existing complex regulations, thereby securing an optimal environment that enables both time and cost savings.
This is expected to serve as a significant opportunity for vitalizing the local drone industry ecosystem and establishing Gongju as a leading city in the drone industry.
Mayor Choi Woncheol stated, "The designation of the Drone Special Free Zone is a significant achievement that allows our city of Gongju to secure future growth engines in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and to demonstrate and spread the outstanding technological capabilities of domestic drone companies. We will continue to provide full support for the creation of new drone industries linked to various fields such as AI, forestry, and disaster safety."
Meanwhile, the city was also selected for the 'Drone Demonstration City Construction Project,' which has been underway for two years since 2024. Gongju is simultaneously promoting demonstration projects, including the K-Drone delivery service, and plans to contribute to the establishment of a drone-based smart logistics system and the revitalization of the local economy through these efforts.
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