Yeongju City Launches Pilot Drone Delivery Service

Yeongju City in North Gyeongsang Province will officially launch its drone delivery service after being selected for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's "2025 Drone Demonstration City Development Project - K-Drone Delivery Commercialization Project."

On September 29, the city held a drone delivery demonstration event at the Yeongju Lake Yongmaru 1 Park Drone Delivery Center and the auto camping site.

Yeongju City is conducting a pilot operation of drone delivery service and taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Yeongju City

During the first part of the event, demonstrations included loading items onto drones, the automatic inspection system, and the takeoff of delivery drones. In the second part, the entire process-from ordering via the public delivery app "Meokgaebi" to drone delivery and receipt-was successfully showcased.

Yeongju City has established a drone delivery center and eight delivery hubs in the Seocheon and Yeongju Lake areas, completing safety verification and flight route testing by August. The pilot service will operate from October for two months, every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. During this period, citizens can receive food ordered through the Meokgaebi app by drone at designated delivery points.

Currently, 14 businesses are participating as drone delivery partners. The city plans to encourage usage by providing a 3,000 won discount coupon for drone orders until November, and additional partner recruitment is ongoing.

Yu Jeonggeun, acting mayor of Yeongju City, stated, "We are pleased to offer citizens a new experience through drone delivery in Seocheon and Yeongju Lake. Drone delivery will not only provide convenience but also lead innovation in logistics, serving as a turning point for Yeongju to advance as a smart city."