• South Korea is preparing to introduce commercial-level air taxis, with a demonstration flight scheduled this week.
• The S-4 model, built by Joby Aviation, will be the first commercial-level Urban Air Mobility (UAM) aircraft used in the country.
• The government plans to launch a pilot air taxi service on Jeju Island in 2025, with vertiports for takeoffs and landings.
• The initiative, expected to boost local tourism and the UAM market, could inspire similar projects in other densely populated urban areas worldwide.

South Korea is on the cusp of a transportation revolution as it gears up to introduce commercial-level air taxis. The transport ministry announced on Friday that it will conduct a flight demonstration of a commercial-level air taxi model this week. This demonstration is part of a government project to introduce the urban air mobility (UAM) industry in the country.

The S-4 model, built by U.S. electric aircraft manufacturer Joby Aviation Inc., will be demonstrated at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute's aviation center in Goheung, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Saturday. The S-4, capable of carrying a pilot and up to four passengers, will mark the first use of a commercial-level UAM aircraft in the country.

This demonstration is part of the K-UAM Grand Challenge, a government-led program that will test UAM vehicle safety and traffic management capabilities for commercial services.

Government Support and Future Plans

The government has also pledged comprehensive support toward a pilot program for a commercial air taxi service on the southern resort island of Jeju. The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province aims to launch the pilot program on Jeju Island in 2025 in partnership with a UAM consortium comprised of public and private firms, including SK Telecom and Hanwha Systems.

The government and the province plan to establish vertiports for air taxi takeoffs and landings initially in three locations: Jeju International Airport, Seongsan Port in Seogwipo, and the Jungmun Tourist Complex. The pilot operation will focus on verifying the safety and commercial viability of UAM routes based at these locations.

The province plans to utilize the service for various tourism purposes by benchmarking helicopter tour programs in Hawaii and other popular destinations. A ministry official said the project is expected to boost local tourism and contribute to the growth of Korea's early UAM market.

Global Impact and Similar Initiatives

The California-headquartered company, Joby Aviation, manufactures the electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft - capable of carrying four passengers in addition to the pilot - and will run the service. The initial rides will likely take passengers from the center of New York or Los Angeles to the airport. Today, an Uber Black car from Midtown Manhattan to JFK will cost around $200. Speed will be the big selling point. "A flight in a Joby aircraft from a downtown Manhattan heliport to JFK will take approximately seven minutes, compared to around 50-75 minutes by car," Bevirt said.

To hail these air taxis, users would likely need to book a spot on a vehicle through an app before boarding at a designated pickup location, though further details are unclear. SK Telecom stated last year that it hopes to develop a booking system for UAM rides, along with connections to other types of transport. Such air travel could offer convenience, as traffic congestion is an issue in South Korea's densely populated urban areas, such as the city of Seoul. For distances between 19 to 31 miles, trips that would take an hour by car could be reduced to 20 minutes by air, according to the ministry.

This development in South Korea is reminiscent of similar initiatives in other parts of the world. For instance, in Singapore, Skyports has identified a number of potential VoloPort locations and air taxi routes across the city-state. Duncan Walker, Managing Director of Skyports, said, "The VoloPort is an important step towards establishing an entire air taxi solution in Singapore. We look forward to the next stage of our exciting partnership with Volocopter as we work towards the introduction of commercial air taxi services in the city-state."