Drone delivery to islands, remote regions begins in August
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport tests the K-drone delivery service in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province in June. Courtesy of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, Tuesday, it will launch the country’s first nationwide drone delivery service to enhance everyday convenience for residents living on remote islands, regional areas and national parks across the country.
The service will initially deliver food, daily necessities and first-aid supplies, subject to weight limits and availability. The government intends to expand the service to accommodate larger volumes and a broader user base in the future.
The K-drone delivery service will cover 32 island districts, 17 regional park areas and one port across 14 municipal jurisdictions, according to the ministry.
Although the service was initially launched on July 19 in three island districts off Jeju Island, full-scale operations are set to begin in August. The service will also be available to those in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, Seosan, South Chungcheong Province and Incheon as well as park regions in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, Namwon, North Jeolla Province, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province and Busan Port.
The drones can carry up to 3 kilograms per delivery and also allow residents in isolated areas to send back deliveries to the whole country where K-drone delivery hubs are located. This includes locally caught fish or farmed crops from islands, regional specialty products from park areas, or equipment from ships, which can all reach the country’s remote interior using the service.
Automated external defibrillators and first-aid kits are available in each local K-drone delivery hub so that they can be delivered fast when requested in the event of medical emergencies in those remote areas.
This drone, made by Korean drone developer AMP, services islands in waters off Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province. Courtesy of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Prior to launching the service, the ministry in March selected 14 municipal jurisdictions to introduce the service. Since then, the authority has been working with state-run agencies and university researchers, including the Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology, Korea Transportation Safety Authority, Korea Aerospace University and Sejong Cyber University, to prepare a safety maintenance system for the service.
The K-drone delivery is a comprehensive system based on four key concepts: delivery targets, drone lifting pods, flight routes for drones and an online platform for the service's users. Delivery companies using K-drone delivery have acquired an approval from the ministry in recognition of the safe management of their drones, including real-time monitoring of the drones in service.
The ministry has also provided a special flight approval to the companies so that they can fly their drones even in areas with low visibility, a condition most drones encounter during flights.
The authority has also provided the delivery firms with a standard manual so that they can each come up with their own drone safety management system based on the country’s aviation safety regulations.
Joo Jong-wan, from the aviation policy division under the ministry’s civil aviation office, said that some large-sized companies have already shown interest in the K-drone delivery system so that their smartphones, water purifiers and other electronic appliances can be delivered to remote regions.
“The service will raise its maximum weight and diversify items for users,” Joo said. “It will greatly help residents of islands. We’ll also expand further the service’s target areas nationwide.”