South Korea set for eVTOL aerial ridesharing

News

Aerial ridesharing services are to be introduced in South Korea following the signing of a strategic collaboration agreement between eVTOL pioneer Joby Aviation and SK Telecom.

The agreement will see the two companies work on introducing all-electric, five-seat eVTOL aerial ridesharing aircraft in support of the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport’s K-UAM (Korean Urban Air Mobility) Roadmap.

With a maximum range of 150 miles, a top speed of 200mph, and a low noise profile that will allow it to access built-up areas, Joby's piloted aircraft is designed to make emissions-free air travel an everyday occurrence.

The partners will utilise SK’s T Map mobility platform and UT ride hailing service to provide ground and air mobility services. UT was established as a joint venture between SKT and Uber in 2021, integrating SK’s T Map platform and Uber’s ride sharing technology. Joby and Uber have been collaborating since 2019.

The Engineer Q&A: Rise of the eVTOL aircraft

In a statement, Ryu Young-sang, CEO of SKT, said: “By joining forces with Joby, a global leader in this field, we expect to accelerate our journey towards the era of Urban Air Mobility and lead the way on introducing this exciting new technology,”

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