Hanwha Systems announced on Thursday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Skyports, which is England-based company that specializes in UAM (urban air mobility) infrastructure, regarding development of ‘air taxi’ infrastructure technology.
Skyports is a company that builds vertiports that are areas designed for air taxis to take off and land. It became the first company to build a pilot vertiport for air taxis in a downtown of Singapore in 2019. To actually operate the vertiport, it is currently in discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency regarding approvals and certifications for operation of air taxis. The company is also globally known for its vertiport technology by participating in the UAM Grand Challenge by the NASA.
Hanwha Systems started development of air taxi airframe with an American company called Overair that specializes in PAV (personal air vehicle) after they joined hands in February last year. They plan to finish the development by 2024 and start testing the airframe on a route between Seoul and Gimpo in 2025.
By working with Skyports regarding development of air taxi infrastructure in addition to working with Overair regarding development of airframe, Hanwha Systems has taken step forward into the global UAM market.
Because a vertiport is located in the middle of a downtown, many matters and conditions need to be considered. The key is to design an effective route after examining the surrounding environment such as the flow of human traffic and noise. Maintenance of airframe, battery charging, and lighting for nighttime operation also need to be designed according to the environment. Skyports is seen as a company that excels in every technology related to vertiport.
Hanwha Systems plans to provide control technologies needed for safe operation to Skyports. The two companies will also work together on seamless technology for ‘fast and convenient loading and unloading like a taxi’.
Duncan Walker, who is the CEO of Skyports, said that his company along with Hanwha Systems, which possesses advanced technologies in aerospace industry, expect to take a step forward into the global UAM market.
Hanwha Systems made an agreement with the Korea Airports Corporation in November last year to build a ‘verti-hub’ at the Gimpo Airport. Verti-hub is a super ordinate concept of vertiport. In January, it signed business agreements with SK Telecom, the Korea Airports Corporation, and the Korea Transport Institute regarding commercialization of UAM.
The company plans to make $10 billion (11.4 trillion KRW) related to UAM by 2030. Morgan Stanley estimated that the global UAM market will grow from $7 billion last year to $1.5 trillion in 2040.
Staff Reporter An, Hocheon | hcan@etnews.com