Volocopter has teamed up with Kakao Mobility to conduct a feasibility study on introducing urban air mobility (UAM) in South Korea.
The study will identify a list of potential commercial routes, operational capabilities, and business models.
Volocopter says the findings will lay the groundwork for possible future cooperation to launch UAM services in South Korea, which plans to commercialise the service by 2025.
According to Volocopter, UAM complements existing mobility options in cities to reduce congestion and lets people reach their destinations faster.
Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter says: “Through this partnership, we will leverage Kakao Mobility’s existing network of urban ground mobility and re-adapt their strengths for urban air mobility.”
Kakao's Mobility as a Service app offers various mobility-related services such as taxis, parking and navigation.
Seungil You, chief technology officer at Kakao, says: “As the largest mobility platform in South Korea with 30 million registered users, Kakao Mobility has deep insights on traffic patterns and customer needs in the Korean mobility market. Starting from the cooperation with Volocopter in the Korean market, we are looking forward to expanding our partnership across the UAM industry worldwide as well as our business as an airspace mobility platform in the future.”
Volocopter has recently conducted two public test flights at Gimpo International Airport and Incheon Airport of Seoul.
Earlier this month, Volocopter entered a collaboration with infrastructures holding company Atlantia and airport operator Aeroporti di Roma to bring electric air taxis to the Italian city of Rome.
