The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (Minister Noh Hyeong Ouk, hereafter referred to as MOLIT) announced the start of the K-UAM Grand Challenge, a large-scale demonstration project to realize the commercialization of Urban Air Mobility (UAM).
MOLIT is expected to hold a briefing session (online and offline) at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on February 17 (Thursday) to participate in the UAM Grand Challenge Korea, which will involve organizations preparing for commercialization of urban air mobility around the world.
The Grand Challenge (organized by MOLIT, supported by KARI) is a large-scale demonstration project that tests new technologies for commercialization and future R&D achievements in an environment similar to the real world.
The concept was designed to sufficiently verify the safety of the urban air mobility system before commercialization and to establish operating concepts and technical standards suitable for domestic conditions.
The project is carried out in two phases with the first phase expected to be conducted at the Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology (Goheung) currently being equipped with neccessary equipments.
The briefing session is the first step within Grand Challenge to explain the purpose of the project to domestic and foreign companies interested in the project and encourage participation.
With participation from domestic and foreign UAM operators, manufacturers, traffic management providers, domestic start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) interested in operating Vertiports, the briefing session is expected to hold various discussions and end with fruitful outcomes including the operation of the UAM system amd plan for for future demonstrations.
Because the method and standards of urban air mobility have not yet been standardized worldwide, the government is expected to be able to obtain data necessary to prepare institutionalization standards through this demonstration.
In addition, the participating organizations will have the opportunity to prepare for commercialization synchronized witht the institutionalization of relevant standards as well as accumulate flights and traffic management data necessary for commercialization.
Starting with the upcoming briefing session, institutions wishing to participate are expected to start demonstration projects as early as the first half of next year by discussing the scope and method of demonstration with MOLIT and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.
The session will also include the official announcement of the Grand Challenge plan, domestically and abroad, and extra time for open discussions on how to participate and exchange technical information.
Specific agendas will include the K-UAM Grand Challenge plan, the link of the plan to the policy roadmap and operation plan (ConOps 1.0), the UAM A/C and traffic management servicem as well as operation plan for Vertiports.
The government is also planning to start selecting test beds necessary to promote the second stage of the Grand Challenge (semi-city center and city center) and R&D integrated demonstration (urban environment).
The second stage of the Grand Challenge will be held in the urban area, and it will be carried out as early as 2024 after assessing the results of the first stage.
The integrated R&D demonstration is currently in the planning stage (22.2~) and aims to launch a preliminary feasibility study this year.
MOLIT Second Vice-Minister Hwang Sung-kyu said, "We ask for active participation from officials who will lead the domestic and foreign UAM industries."
He added, "We expect to share the empirical results obtained through the Grand Challenge with participants and utilize them for institutionalization of relevant regulations, and create a new internationally advanced traffic management system in the future."
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