Korean Air speeds up development of unmanned AI target drones

Prototypes of unmanned target drones under development by Korean Air / Courtesy of Korean Air

Korean Air is accelerating the development of its next-generation high-speed unmanned target drones — equipped with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) — to enhance swarm control and mission autonomy, the company said Thursday.

The airline said it successfully completed a system requirement review for the subsonic unmanned target system by partnering with officials from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the Navy and the Air Force.

The latest achievement is a key milestone that came four months after Korean Air won the government-led project in November. Under the program, Korea aims to localize key components of the system, such as the airframe, control equipment and launchers, and replace imported target drones to strengthen defense self-reliance.

Korean Air’s high-speed target drone under development is designed to reach speeds of up to Mach 0.6, or about 735 kilometers per hour, the fastest level in its class here. The firm will roll out a prototype and conduct its maiden flight by the end of 2027.

The drone will incorporate advanced AI capabilities to maximize coordinated swarm operations and autonomous mission execution, according to Korean Air. The airline is also pursuing an open architecture design that allows modular integration of mission-specific sensors and equipment, thereby improving cost efficiency and operational flexibility.

Korean Air plans to make the drones combat-ready by 2028.

“Combining high-speed drone design with AI is essential for Korea’s defense industry to secure a competitive edge globally,” a Korean Air official said. “We will seek early completion of localization to strengthen the nation’s military capabilities.”