German-based UAM developer Volocopter has inked a memorandum of understanding with South Korean mobility platform Kakao Mobility to conduct a feasibility study on introducing UAM in South Korea. The study will identify a list of potential commercial routes, operational capabilities and business models necessary for a UAM service operator in the country. The findings, to be released by February 2022, will lay the groundwork for possible future cooperation between both companies to launch UAM services, with plans to commercialise by 2025.

Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter says: “Having a strong and reliable network of partners has always been a fundamental factor for our continued success. We believe that the synergy from the cooperation with a leading local partner helps us develop a service tailored for the domestic market. We are very excited about our partnership with Kakao Mobility, South Korea’s industry leader in platform technology. Through this partnership, we will leverage Kakao Mobility’s existing network of urban ground mobility and readapt its strengths for urban air mobility.”

Kakao Mobility operates the Kakao T app, which offers taxis, parking and navigation through this mobility-as-a-service app.

CTO Seungil You adds: “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 in Seoul. At Gimpo airport the five minute crewed test flight covered a distance of around three km and reached a maximum altitude of 50 metres and maximum speeds of 45 km/h. Prior to these the company performed a public flight trial over Singapore's Marina Bay area in 2019.

Volocopter has obtained both design and production organisation approvals from EASA.