Pukyong National University

PKNU develops core technology for safe operation of 'air taxi' flying in the sky

- selected for the 164 billion won project 'core technology development for safe operation of Korean urban air transportation system'

△ The research team. (from left to right) prof. Son Rack-Hun, prof. Choi Won-Sik, prof. Kim Jae-Jin, prof. Moon Woo-Sok and prof. Shin Ji-Hoon.

Pukyong National University (President Jang Young-Soo) has been selected as a research institution for the 'core technology development project for the K-urban air mobility (K-UAM) safety operating system' by the Korea Meteorological Administration and the Korea meteorological institute.

With this project selection, Pukyong National University, under the leadership of professor Kim Jae-Jin (major of environmental atmospheric sciences), will embark on the development of weather observation and prediction-based technologies to support urban air transportation operations from April 2022 to December 2026, with a total project budget of 16.4 billion won.

Urban air mobility (UAM), also known as 'air taxis', refers to a system that operates urban air transportation activities using aircraft for transporting people or cargo within cities, and is gaining attention as a future next-generation transportation method.

At an altitude of approximately 300 to 600 meters, urban aircraft operations are heavily influenced by atmospheric flows affected by tall buildings, mountains, rivers, and other terrain features, leading to frequent atmospheric turbulence, therefore, accurate weather information at this altitude is essential for the safe operation of urban aircraft.

Due to the limitations of the current meteorological observation networks, obtaining sufficient observational data is challenging, leading to a lack of technology in analyzing real-time weather conditions, also there is a need for the development of technology to produce urban aircraft weather forecast information required for UAM operation planning.

Consequently, professor Kim Jae-Jin's team at Pukyong National University plans to develop new technologies to support the commercialization of UAM, focusing on specialized meteorological observations for UAM and the production of real-time weather information, as well as weather prediction-based technologies. Professors including Son Rack-Hun, Choi Won-Sik, Moon Woo-Sok, Shin Ji-Hoon, and Kwon Byung-Hyuk from the same department will participate in the research.

The main content is on developing technology for producing real-time, customized weather observations using three-dimensional high-resolution meteorological data around the Vertiport, the landing facility for UAM, and its flight routes.

If the technology for meteorological observation and prediction-based support for UAM operation is developed through this project, it is expected to not only facilitate the commercialization of Korean-style UAM but also enhance opportunities for business expansion and entry into overseas markets, leading to the creation of various derivative businesses. <Pukyong Today>