– Pre-commercialization pilot operation…Travel distance of approximately 1 km, or 3 minutes, from takeoff to landing
– PABLO AIR sets standard for domestic drone logistics delivery
INCHEON, South Korea – PABLO AIR (CEO Kim Young-Joon), a member of the Born2Global Centre, announced on July 13 that PABLO AIR, in cooperation with South Korea’s 7-Eleven branch, has opened the first convenience store drone delivery station in Korea for the commercialization of drone delivery.
The drone delivery station primarily consists of a control tower and the drone’s vertical take-off and landing aerodrome (Helipad), which allows one-stop processing, from the taking of delivery orders to the completion of the delivery flight. PABLO AIR’s drone delivery service is a beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight in which the drone is controlled with a wGCS (Web-based Ground Control System) paired with a smart mobility integrated control system (PAMNet, PABLO AIR Mobility Network) for safe and agile operation of the aircraft.
Customers can order convenience store items for drone delivery through the app Allivery (All+Delivery) and have their items sent to the delivery station in a rural resort town of Gapyeong which is about 1 km away, or three minutes by drone. After an order is received, the items are moved by a winch connected to the drone station to the rooftop, where the helipad is located. Once the items have been loaded in the drone’s delivery box, the ground control system operator sends the drone on an autonomous flight to the delivery station. After completing QR authorization, the customer can safely take out their ordered items, and then the drone returns back to its starting point.
Drone Delivery is available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (before sunset) from Tuesday to Saturday every week starting from July 13. From now until the end of this year, there is no minimum order amount and delivery is free of charge.
The drone, which is 990 x 990 x 750 mm in size, has a maximum payload (PA-H3) of 5 kg and a maximum flight time of 25 minutes. For the pilot program, the drone flies at an average speed of 36 km/h (10 m/s), and since the delivery station is only 1 km from the convenience store, the drone can complete its delivery in about 150 seconds. PABLO AIR plans to continue researching the payload and volume of the shipping box to further improve its drone delivery services.
A PABLO AIR official said, “We have been steadily preparing for our drone delivery services, including by obtaining flight approval permissions, for the past two years. We have also implemented complementary technologies such as triple communication networks (RF, LTE, and SATCOM) and parachutes for optimal drone safety.”
“Seven-Eleven and PABLO AIR are the first companies in Korea to provide complete A-to-Z services, from taking app orders to preparing products and completing deliveries,” said Kim Young-Joon, CEO of PABLO AIR. “We will do our best to provide safe and effective delivery services.”
“The local community also seems receptive to the services because the Gapyeong area is a mountainous area with rivers and lakes, and if we can provide stable drone delivery services, it will benefit the surrounding commercial districts,” said a resident in the area, “We are looking forward to enjoying these safe and convenient services.”
In June, the Korean government promised to ease regulations and establish a legal basis for the drone delivery industry as part of its new industry regulation improvement plan. To facilitate these changes, PABLO AIR said that it would gather data related to the drone industry and provide it to the government, and that the current pilot project would act as a blueprint for the future drone industry.
In addition, PABLO AIR is also conducting a drone delivery demonstration project in the United States. In January, PABLO AIR signed a business agreement with NUAIR (Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance) and set up PABLO AIR’s integrated control system at Griffiss International Airport in New York to conduct VLOS and BVLOS delivery demonstrations. PABLO AIR expects to begin operating its drone delivery services in Arizona and New York in the US after completing the demonstration projects.
About PABLO AIR
After entering the Korean unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market with its swarm flight technology in 2018, PABLO AIR has engaged in a wide array of integrated drone solutions and activities, including UAV control systems, aircraft development, drone delivery platforms & services, and ICT drone shows. In addition, PABLO AIR is continuously engaged in R&D and commercialization efforts at home and abroad with the aim of growing as a true pioneer of the global UAV industry.
With the establishment of its U.S. branch in 2021, PABLO AIR is increasingly being recognized for its technological prowess in the global UAV market. PABLO AIR has become the first Korean company to participate in the U.S. drone delivery PoC and was also named a 2nd place winner of the world-renowned AUVSI XCELLENCE AWARD as well as a technology partner of the National Technology & Innovation Sandbox (NTIS) in Malaysia.
For more information, visit pabloair.com
About Born2Global Centre
The Born2Global Centre, operated by Born2Global, is a full-cycle service platform that supports the global expansion of promising companies. Established in 2013 under the Ministry of Science and ICT, Born2Global has been setting the standards for a successful startup ecosystem in Korea and continues to expand and transform startups so that they are engaged, well equipped, and connected with the global market.
For more information, visit born2global.com
