Korean Air to showcase cutting-edge UAV technology at DX Korea 2022

Korean Air to showcase cutting-edge UAV technology
at DX Korea 2022

(Seoul, 2022) - Korean Air will showcase its cutting-edge unmanned aerial vehicle products and technologies at the Defense & Security Expo Korea (DX Korea), which will be held from September 21 to 25 at KINTEX in Goyang City.

Marking its fifth anniversary this year, DX Korea is a biennial defense exhibition for land forces equipment. This year, more than 350 exhibitors from 50 countries will participate in the event, making it the largest in its history since 2014.

As a leading company in the UAV industry, Korean Air will showcase its state-of-the-art UAV products and technologies, including its stealth UAVs, UAV squadron, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAVs, and hybrid drones.

Korean Air will display a life-size model of its medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV, a high-performance strategic UAV with a fuselage length of 13m and wingspan of 25m, at the outdoor exhibition area.

The MALE UAV, developed in-house by Korean Air, features a high-performance sensor for real-time surveillance on key enemy targets. It is the Korean army’s strategic weapon system, which flies above the altitude of Korean domestic commercial flights and implements real-time surveillance and reconnaissance on key targets.

In the indoor exhibition, the company showcases its stealth UAVs, stealth UAV squadron, VTOL UAVs, and various UAV models with their technical specifications and performance details.

The stealth UAVs and stealth UAV squadron are developed with radar-absorbent structures and surface current control technology that reduce the probability of radar detection. In the case of the stealth UAV squadron, Korean Air plans to develop a manned-unmanned teaming system in which one manned aircraft and three to four stealth UAVs can carry out missions simultaneously. The squadron of UAVs will not only support and escort a manned aircraft, but will also be able to perform its own missions including surveillance, electronic interference tactics and precise targeting.

The VTOL UAVs combine the strengths of a helicopter’s vertical take-off and landing and the high speed capabilities of a fixed-wing aircraft. They are optimal for mountainous terrain as they are easy to disassemble and reassemble and multiple units can be transported in a single vehicle.  

As a leading company in the development of the Korean aerospace and defense sector, Korean Air will continue to represent and serve the national aerospace and defense industry. 

Serving the world for more than 50 years, Korean Air is one of the world's top 20 airlines, carrying more than 27 million passengers in 2019, pre-COVID. With its global hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the airline serves 120 cities in 43 countries on five continents with a modern fleet of 155 aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees.

Korean Air's outstanding performance and commitment to the highest level of safety and customer service was further highlighted during the pandemic; the airline was granted numerous awards including 2021 Airline of the Year and 2022 Cargo Operator of the Year by Air Transport World, and a 5-star COVID safety rating from Skytrax.

Korean Air is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, and has grown into one of the largest transpacific airlines through its joint venture with Delta Air Lines.

Dedicated to providing Excellence in Flight, Korean Air’s vision is to be a respected leader in the world airline community.

For more information about Korean Air, please visit www.koreanair.com, Korean Air Newsroom, facebook.com/KoreanAir, instagram.com/KoreanAirworld and Twitter@KoreanAir_KE.