Incheon signs flying taxi partnership

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Incheon signs flying taxi partnership

From left: Vessel Aerospace CEO Kim Chi-boong, Institute for Aerospace Industry-Academia Collaboration President Ryoo Chang-kyung and Incheon Metropolitan City's Aviation Division head Ahn Gwang-ho pose after signing a memorandum of understanding at the Drone Show Korea 2022 trade show on Feb. 26. [INCHEON METROPOLITAN CITY]

From left: Vessel Aerospace CEO Kim Chi-boong, Institute for Aerospace Industry-Academia Collaboration President Ryoo Chang-kyung and Incheon Metropolitan City's Aviation Division head Ahn Gwang-ho pose after signing a memorandum of understanding at the Drone Show Korea 2022 trade show on Feb. 26. [INCHEON METROPOLITAN CITY]

 
Incheon is teaming up with an aircraft manufacturer and aviation research center to bring flying taxis to the city.
 
On Monday, Incheon announced it signed a memorandum of understanding with Korean aircraft maker Vessel Aerospace and the Incheon-based Institute for Aerospace Industry-Academia Collaboration (IIACI) on Feb. 26, at the Drone Show Korea 2022 trade show held in Busan. 
 
The Suwon-based Vessel Aerospace will develop an urban air mobility (UAM) vehicle, a flying taxi, that can be used in the skies above Incheon. The company was the first in Korea to manufacture a two-seater light-sport aircraft, the KLA-100, in 2017. 
 
The company will establish a subsidiary in Incheon to focus on air traffic management as part of the partnership. 
 
IIACI will provide its indoors aircraft test center for the air taxi to be tested. Previous research conducted by the institution will be incorporated.  
 
Incheon has been working with various companies and institutions to make air taxis a reality. It conducted a test flight of the German company Volocopter’s UAM vehicle at Incheon International Airport in 2020 and is conducting a feasibility study for operating air taxi routes in and out of the airport.
 
"Incheon will strive to set a standard for air traffic systems through various methods including global partnerships and funding research and development," said Ahn Gwang-ho, head of Incheon's Aviation Division. 

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]
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