KT to host aerial drone race in Seoul
A KT model and drone racers promote the GiGA Drone Racing event scheduled to be held at the Garden Five mall in Songpa District, eastern Seoul, on Dec. 27 in this file photo. / Courtesy of KT
By Yoon Sung-won
KT, the nation’s second-largest mobile carrier, said Monday it will host a race for aerial drones in Seoul.
As the telecom company is pushing for diversification in drone-related businesses, it said the competition will be the first in Korea to be hosted by a local enterprise.
“We have prepared for the drone race as more customers in their 20s and 30s enjoy controlling and flying drones as a leisure activity,” said KT’s marketing division vice president Shin Hoon-joo in a statement.
The sporting event, named “GiGA Drone Racing,” will be held at the Garden Five mall in Songpa District, southeastern Seoul, on Dec. 27, and will be filmed through the cameras attached to each drone. A live broadcast will be available via the streaming service of local sports channel SPOTV on Naver and YouTube, the mobile carrier said.
It said 24 drone racers, chosen through preliminary matches, will compete for a total of 20 million won prize money.
Connecting its long-term evolution (LTE) network services to drone technology, KT has sought new business opportunities such as the mobile telecom base station Drone LTE and a maritime safety telecom network.
The company has also worked to vitalize the popularity of drone racing as a sporting event, aiming at expanding applications for drones. It said the drone race course, which will be built at the mall in Songpa, will offer an unprecedented venue for the sporting event.