Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) participated in the Future Innovation Tech Expo 2024 (FIX 2024), held at EXCO from October 23 to 26.
At the event, KAI introduced the Advanced Air Vehicle (AAV), a next-generation aircraft concept. The displayed model was a 1:4 scale prototype developed to validate flight controls. This dual-use aircraft, designed for civilian and military purposes, highlights KAI’s vision to establish a domestic air mobility ecosystem.
Since 2022, KAI has pursued AAV commercialization as one of its six future growth projects, focusing on core technologies such as electric distributed propulsion. In January, the company officially launched AAV prototype development and is currently working on the basic design of its independent model.
The company aims to complete the detailed design of the AAV by 2025. To achieve this, KAI invested 55.3 billion KRW in the project’s first phase in March, out of the 150 billion KRW budget. The second phase involves manufacturing and test flights, with plans to finalize the prototype by 2028.
Following prototype completion, KAI intends to secure certifications from Korean and U.S. aviation authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and target AAV commercialization by 2031. By 2050, the company aims to achieve cumulative sales of 23,000 units.
In addition to aircraft development, KAI is actively building a comprehensive industrial ecosystem, including operations and maintenance services, to advance its presence in the future mobility market. Last January, it signed an MOU with Daegu City to develop a Korean-style Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry ecosystem. This includes strategic collaboration on key AAM components, such as motor systems.
In August, KAI secured a project led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy to develop AAM electric engines. This initiative exemplifies cross-industry collaboration involving companies like Hanwha Aerospace, Daegu-based Sambo Motors, and PHC Valeo.
Furthermore, since last year, KAI has been working with Gyeongsangnam-do Province, Jinju City, and Gyeongnam Technopark to establish an AAV demonstration center and secure airspace. The center, scheduled for completion in March 2024, will leverage the expertise of local governments and private companies in various fields, including aircraft, construction, and telecommunications, to create a Korean AAM industry ecosystem.
KAI President Goo-young Kang stated, “The AAV is a culmination of advanced technologies encompassing fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and civilian aircraft expertise. We will spare no effort to revolutionize future transportation paradigms while addressing environmental concerns and realizing the core transport solution for future battlefields.”
FIX 2024 featured specialized exhibitions, conferences, and business programs focusing on mobility, robotics, AI, and startups. The Daegu International Future Auto & Mobility Expo 2024 at EXCO’s East Wing showcased trends in UAM, autonomous driving, batteries, components, and services. Meanwhile, the 2024 ICT Convergence Expo Korea, held in the West Wing, exhibited AI, big data, blockchain, ICT, and metaverse technologies. The 2024 Daegu Robot Expo displayed industrial robots, humanoid robots, and digital transformation solutions for the robotics industry. The “Startup Arena” was introduced to facilitate meetings between startups and experts from startup accelerators like Samsung C-Lab and Plug and Play.