In an effort to identify a new development engine, Jeju Air Co., South Korea’s largest budget airline, announced Wednesday that it has formed a consortium to provide urban air mobility (UAM) services.
According to Jeju Air, the partnership was formed to engage in the transport ministry-led K-UAM Grand Challenge initiative in the following two years, with the goal of commercializing UAM services by 2025.
Local refiner GS Caltex Corp., LG Uplus, taxi-hailing service Kakao Mobility Corp., domestic drone solutions company Pablo Air Co., and British UAM producer Vertical Aerospace Ltd. are the other five companies.
“While focusing on its mainstay airline business, Jeju Air aims to develop a variety of tourism products in connection with the UAM business,” the statement said.
In the K-UAM GC project, Jeju Air will be in charge of operating UAMs, planning flight schedules, and collecting flight data, the company said.
GS Caltex will set up vertiports, terminals that allow takeoff and landing for UAMs, in some of its gas stations, Kakao Mobility will establish vertiport solutions, such as automotive check-in and security inspection function, and LG Uplus will offer telecommunications services for a stable operation of UAMs, it said.
Pablo Air plans to set up an integrated aviation control system for UAMs, and Vertical Aerospace plans to conduct a test flight of a Korean-made UAM at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.