Korean Air joins hands with Anduril for autonomous drone development

People look at the Anduril Fury autonomous air vehicle at the Australian International Airshow in Avalon, Australia, March 26. Reuters-Yonhap

Korean Air, Korea's flagship air carrier, said Wednesday it has signed an initial agreement with U.S. defense technology company Anduril Industries for joint development in autonomous aerial vehicles (AAVs).

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) includes the joint development of AAVs in both Korea and the United States, and collaboration to enhance capabilities for manned-unmanned teaming, Korean Air said.

Korean Air said it has been actively advancing AAV technology, including the production of medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles for the Korean military.

The partnership with Anduril is expected to support Korea's defense sector while opening opportunities for domestic firms in the global unmanned vehicle market, the company added.

Founded in 2017, Anduril is a U.S. defense contractor specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), drone development and data analytics. Its corporate value is estimated at $28 billion.

The latest agreement follows Korean Air's recent $32.7 billion deal to purchase 20 aircraft from Boeing and procure spare engines from GE Aerospace, signaling the airline's broader push to strengthen its presence in the U.S. (Yonhap)