SKT-led consortium collaborates with Chungcheong for UAM services

[Courtesy of Sejong City]

The K-UAM Dream Team consortium, led by SK telecom Co., recently partnered with local municipalities in Chungcheong Province to offer residents urban air mobility (UAM) services under a memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday. The consortium’s other members include Korea Airports Corporation, Hanwha Systems Co. Ltd., and T-Map Mobility Co. Ltd.

UAMs, which are next-generation vehicles, carry passengers at low altitudes in urban areas without using runways, as the vehicles rely on vertical take-off and landing facilities called vertiports. Full operation of UAM vehicles requires a suite of cutting-edge technology, including landing infrastructure and control networks.

The K-UAM consortium has ramped up its cooperation with local governments to ensure broader adoption of UAMs. The parties in the recent MoU will explore the optimal routes for UAM services in the region and develop the UAM options and begin a pilot program to test UAM vehicles for various uses, including emergency medical services, cargo transports, and tourism.

To create a UAM ecosystem in the region, the consortium will work together with local governments by making investments in joint research and job training.

Under the partnership, SK telecom will be responsible for operating the UAM services and the buildup of UAM-only wireless networks, while the Korea Airports Corporation will build vertiports and offer traffic control using navigation infrastructure.

Hanwha Systems will develop, manufacture, and maintain the UAM aircraft, as well as providing UAM traffic management solutions. T-Map Mobility will be responsible for creating and operating a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform that connects UAMs with land-based transportation. Chungcheong cities and counties will secure the necessary land and facilities for UAM services and offer regulatory assistance, including licensing.