SOUTH KOREA. SK Telecom (SKT) and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation have announced a strategic collaboration agreement which aims to enable emissions-free aerial ride sharing services to cities and communities across South Korea.
SKT – South Korea’s leading telecommunications company – will work alongside Joby to introduce the latter’s five-seat air taxi in support of the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport’s ‘K-UAM’ (Korean Urban Air Mobility) Roadmap, first announced in 2020.
With a maximum range of 150 miles (241 kilometres), a top speed of 200 mph (321 km/h), and a low noise profile that will allow it to access built-up areas, Joby said its piloted aircraft is designed to make convenient, emissions-free air travel an everyday reality.
“With more than 42 million people living in urban areas, South Korea offers a remarkable opportunity for Joby to make air travel a part of daily life” – Joby Aviation CEO JoeBen Bevirt
SKT has been promoting the development of UAM by leveraging its expertise in telecommunications, autonomous driving, precise positioning and security to become a leading company in connected intelligence.
The telecoms company is also working together with other major Korean companies to enhance the nation’s competitiveness in the UAM field.
The partners intend to leverage SK’s T Map mobility platform and UT ride hailing service to provide multi-modal journeys to customers seamlessly integrating both ground and air travel.
UT was established as a joint venture between SKT and Uber last year, bringing together SK’s T Map platform and Uber’s ride sharing technology.
SKT CEO Ryu Young-sang said: “By joining forces with Joby, a global leader in this field, we expect to accelerate our journey towards the era of urban air mobility and lead the way on introducing this exciting new technology.”
He added: “Collaborating with leading global companies is essential to securing leadership in future industries, which we are confident will be driven by the growth of UAM, autonomous driving, and robots.”
Joby Aviation CEO JoeBen Bevirt said: “With more than 42 million people living in urban areas, South Korea offers a remarkable opportunity for Joby to make air travel a part of daily life, helping people to save time while reducing their carbon footprint.”
Note: The Moodie Davitt Report is set to launch a newsletter dedicated to urban air mobility, one of the most exciting and high-potential elements of the modern global aviation sector. You can read about our move into the subject in this story here.
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