Samsung Asset Management announced on December 23 that it will list the 'KODEX US Drone UAM TOP10' Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), which focuses on investing in leading US companies representing the rapidly emerging Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and drone industries as next-generation transportation. This is the first product in Korea to focus exclusively on the US drone and UAM sectors.
Major global cities such as New York and London are facing increasingly severe social costs due to population overcrowding and saturated transportation systems, resulting in commuting delays and logistical inefficiencies. As an alternative, UAM is gaining attention as next-generation transportation infrastructure. UAM is a transportation system that connects short-distance urban travel via aviation using electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicles (eVTOLs). Compared to traditional roads or railways, UAM is expected to spread rapidly due to the efficiency of infrastructure construction costs.
In particular, 2026 is expected to mark the first year of UAM commercialization. This is because the US and United Arab Emirates governments are intensifying efforts to commercialize UAM infrastructure at the national level. In June of this year, the US government announced an order to strengthen drone airspace sovereignty, and in September, it issued an executive order to assert drone leadership. Through these actions, the US government is expected to accelerate overall drone production and actively promote the activation of commercial drones and eVTOLs.
The KODEX US Drone UAM TOP10 ETF is a product that concentrates investments in 10 key US companies leading the UAM and drone industries. It is characterized by allocating more than 30% of its portfolio to leading companies driving global UAM commercialization, such as Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation.
Joby Aviation is regarded as the company with the fastest progress in obtaining commercialization certification in the eVTOL sector. Through a strategic partnership with Toyota, it has secured manufacturing and mass production capabilities. Archer Aviation is accelerating commercialization through collaboration with global automotive group Stellantis and is proactively building air taxi infrastructure in the United States. Both Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation are set to begin their first commercial operations in the United Arab Emirates starting in 2026. Through the KODEX US Drone UAM TOP10 ETF, investors can seize the opportunity to invest in leading companies at the dawn of the UAM market.
In addition, the ETF invests broadly in drone companies expected to receive strong support from the US government, as well as promising aviation companies. It includes investments in major unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturers such as Kratos and Aerovironment, along with other drone companies with high growth potential. The ETF also selectively invests in aviation service companies with stable businesses, such as GE Aerospace and FTAI Aviation, bringing together key players across the US aviation mobility ecosystem to enable investment in the growth of the UAM industry.
Kim Cheonheung, manager at Samsung Asset Management, said, "UAM and drones are not just future technologies but next-generation national strategic industries encompassing transportation and logistics. The KODEX US Drone UAM TOP10 ETF carefully selects only the leading UAM, drone, and aviation service companies, making it a product that enables investment in the paradigm shift of global air mobility."
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