NARMA INC. (CEO Kwon Ki-jeong) will be holding the main exhibition hall (LVCC) of ‘CES 2023’ in Las Vegas, USA for a total of 4 days from January 5 (Thursday) to January 8 (Sunday, local time), 2023. He announced that he would participate in my ‘Seoul Technology Museum’.
Narma, the first research company of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, developed the world’s first electric dual tiltrotor drone optimized for delivery. This tiltrotor is capable of vertical takeoff and landing as well as high-speed flight, and has the ability to load a 5kg payload and fly a distance of 40km in 40 minutes. Among domestic drone companies, Narma is the only company that has simultaneously received permission from the government for two types of special flights (non-visual flight and night flight). In a demonstration flight hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport last year, it took off in front of the National Assembly Building and flew through a forest of Seoul buildings. We also conducted non-visual crossing flights.
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Delivery drones are also being developed by global companies, but considering the weight of the drone, wind resistance, and delivery cost per cargo, Narma is proud of its tiltrotor drone as “by far the best in the world.” Unlike existing drones that are controlled by skilled pilots, Narma’s drone was cited as having the advantage of being able to fly automatically using a device that can be easily operated, such as a kiosk, without manual operation. To reduce manufacturing costs, Narma introduced a new technology to produce carbon plates without manual molding, and the new manufacturing method dramatically reduced manufacturing time and cost, making it possible to compete with cars and motorcycles.
The maximum speed of ‘AF 100’, which is equipped with a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) function, is 120 km/h, and features a wider operating area than a multicopter drone, enabling real-time control using cameras. In addition, drones located at the station are always capable of flight and their batteries are maintained at 70% charge.
Narma’s kiosk system, ‘Dnuri’, helps improve operator fatigue and improve price competitiveness of drone delivery. Regarding this, an official said, “The disadvantage of controlling a drone using an existing manual controller is that it is difficult to fly in a non-visual area and the fatigue associated with the flight is significant. In addition, the fact that one pilot can only control one drone through manual control is a factor in increasing the price per delivery. “To solve these problems, Narma developed a kiosk system that allows drone operation with a simple touch,” he explained. This not only improves drone pilot fatigue, but also reduces drone delivery costs by allowing one pilot to operate multiple drones through one kiosk.
Narma’s goal ahead of commercializing its electric dual tilt rotor is to enter the U.S. market, and it hopes to find local partners in the U.S. through participation in this exhibition. Specifically, the plan is to find a partner that has drone engineers and operators and can provide drone services using Narma’s drones locally.
In Korea, we plan to launch a full-scale drone delivery service in cooperation with convenience store chain CU. This year, Narma proposed Narma’s drone delivery solution to several overseas countries, including South Africa, Croatia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines, and achieved its first export performance by signing SKD contracts with partners in South Africa and Croatia. We aim to expand our business to North America next year.
In addition, with the goal of becoming the standard for drone delivery, Narma is currently developing a hydrogen fuel cell drone with an increased flight range. The goal is to develop a tiltrotor drone with improved payload (Max 20kg) by 2025.
Meanwhile, ‘CES’, the world’s largest IT exhibition, is an exhibition where you can understand the trends of the global home appliance industry at a glance. Hosted by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), it is held every January in Las Vegas, USA. AVING News, which has covered CES for 1 consecutive years, has reported CES news around the world every year since 17, and has been selected as the ‘BEST OF CES’, which selects the best innovative products and technologies, and the ‘BEST OF’, which selects domestic innovative companies. ‘MADE IN KOREA’ was held. In addition, CES on-site issues were vividly conveyed through ‘AVING LIVE’.
The Seoul Technology Museum is comprised of a Theme Zone that embodies future vision and experiential elements, and a Tech Zone that displays the innovative technologies of collaborating large corporations and startups. The Seoul Business Agency (SBA) will showcase innovative technologies in the ‘Mobility and ESG’ field at the Seoul Technology Center through open innovation in conjunction with large corporations, and seven startups with innovative technologies in related fields will participate.
* Special reporters: Joseph Choe, Kidai Kim, Dongkwan Kim, Mokkyung Lee, Sangun Choi, Joon Suh Lee, Yeawon Choi, Jinnsun Park, Seung Hyun Nam, Min Seok Cha