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Posco, Goyang, Korean Air, LIG Nex1 and Korea Aerospace University join hand to advance vertiport tech

Published: 25 Oct. 2024, 15:56

LEE JAE-LIM
[email protected]

From left, Korea Aerospace University President Hurr Hee-young; Kim Kyung-nam, head of Korean Air Aviation Technology Research Institute; Goyang Mayor Lee Dong-hwan; Choi Jong-jin, LIG Nex1’s senior managing director and Song Yon-kyun, head of Posco’s Steel Solution Research Laboratory attend the signing ceremony for a partnership to advance technology for vertiports supporting urban air mobility at the Goyang Drone-UAM Expo 2024 on Thursday. [POSCO]

Posco has formed a strategic partnership with the city of Goyang, Korean Air, LIG Nex1 and Korea Aerospace University to advance technology for vertiports supporting urban air mobility (UAM), it said on Friday.

Goyang will act as a testbed for the five counterparts to co-develop new technologies needed to operate and commercialize UAM.

Posco will be in charge of creating the infrastructure for vertiport, where the UAM takes off and lands vertically. Since 2022, Posco has been developing steel materials and structures tailored to build such facilities in an urban environment.

The agreement was signed at the opening ceremony for Goyang Drone-UAM Expo 2024 held in Kintex on Thursday. Song Yon-kyun, head of Posco’s Steel Solution Research Laboratory; Goyang Mayor Lee Dong-hwan; Kim Kyung-nam, head of Korean Air Aviation Technology Research Institute; Choi Jong-jin, LIG Nex1’s senior managing director and Korea Aerospace University President Hurr Hee-young participated at the signing ceremony.

Posco displayed a prototype of a steel vertiport at the expo that runs until Friday.

“A vertiport is a facility that plays a crucial role in ensuring safety during the takeoff and landing of aircraft, making it integral for UAM commercialization,” Song said in a statement. “Through ongoing research, development and collaboration, Posco aims to develop a safe and cost-effective steel vertiport model to support the growth of the UAM industry.”

BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]