Korean Air, Supernal sign deal to propel urban air mobility ecosystem

Korea's largest airline Korean Air forged a business agreement with Supernal to collaborate on the establishment and commercialization of the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) operational ecosystem.

Korean Air Lines President Woo Kee-hong, left, and Supernal CEO Shin Jai-won pose for a photo after signing an MOU for the collaboration on the establishment of the UAM operational system at the Seoul ADEX 2023 on Tuesday. [KOREAN AIR LINES]

Korea's largest airline Korean Air forged a business agreement with Supernal, an independent U.S.-based subsidiary of the Hyundai Motor Group that specializes in Urban Air Mobility (UAM), to collaborate on the establishment and commercialization of the UAM operational ecosystem.

Through the business agreement established at the Seoul ADEX 2023, the two companies plan to collaborate on determining the technical specifications required for producing electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing aircraft (eVTOL) tailored to the domestic UAM market and operating conditions. Additionally, they will work together on crafting business models, leveraging their technical data.

The move follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) previously signed by Hyundai Motor Group, Korean Air, Incheon International Airport Corporation, Hyundai E&C and KT, for the expansion of the domestic UAM ecosystem.

Supernal has been working in collaboration with Microsoft to develop future air mobility solutions with the target of launching commercial UAM services by 2028.

Supernal's concept model of its UAM aircraft under development unveiled at the Seoul ADEX 2023 [HYUNDAI MOTOR GROUP]

During this year's ADEX event, Supernel revealed its UAM aircraft interior concept model for the first time in Korea.

"The decision to develop the eVTOL stems from our group's vision of becoming an integrated mobility solution provider," Shin Jai-won, CEO of Supernal, told the Korea JoongAng Daily at the Seoul ADEX 2023 in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Tuesday. "Combining ground transportation with air mobility in the UAM market, especially the market where we electrified the body size of the model we presented today, is literally a blue ocean. Our starting point lies in our unique technology, producing the safest aircraft at scale."

Korean Air's involvement extends to serving as a joint research institution in the development of UAM surveillance and information collection systems, under the auspices of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and developing operational control and simulation systems required for UAM operations.

The airline is also developing a comprehensive traffic management system to oversee and manage UAM traffic flows.

BY SEO JI-EUN, CHO JUNG-WOO [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]