POSCO will begin joint development of vertiports, a core infrastructure for commercializing Urban Air Mobility (UAM), a future transportation means.
POSCO signed the MoU for Joint Research of Strategic Technology Development for Future UAM Construction Market with the Korea Airports Corporation and Hanwha Corporation/E&C at the Korea Airports Corporation’s head office.
Through the joint research, the three companies agreed to establish a standard UAM vertiport model that integrates POSCO’s expertise in developing steel structure utilization technology, the Korea Airports Corporation’s aviation sector expertise, and Hanwha’s design and construction expertise and consider applying it to vertiports at Jamsil MICE and Suseo Station.
POSCO plans to develop optimal steel materials needed for UAM vertiport construction and secure steel structure technology to be used in UAM vertiports in the future.
First, considering the characteristics of the building-type vertiport, which is installed on the rooftop of a building and performs repeated aircraft takeoffs and landings, POSCO plans to detail the steel structure design and utilization technology using lightweight steel materials.
Moreover, it plans to consider applying the modular steel structure to support the increased number of operating aircraft and expanded terminal space and using the BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic System) exterior materials to increase the eco-friendliness of vertiports.
UAM has emerged as the next-generation transportation means, and the government is fostering it as a key future growth engine by including it as an axis of the mobility industry. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to commercialize UAM mainly in urban areas of the capital region by 2025 and expand commercial services to major hubs nationwide from 2026. Accordingly, the construction of vertiports as the UAM takeoff and landing pads is expected to increase significantly.
A UAM vertiport is a basic facility for vertical takeoff and landing of small electric aircraft and the core infrastructure for boarding and disembarking passengers and charging and maintenance of UAM aircraft. Construction of the vertiport requires not only materials and use technology but also integration between construction and aviation industries. Therefore, the three companies have continuously collaborated since signing the MOU for Developing Overseas Markets for K-UAM Vertiport in December last year, leading to joint R&D this time.
Do-gil Oh, POSCO’s Director of Steel Products for Construction Marketing, said; “POSCO has been leading the development of steel materials needed for the future construction industry and technologies that utilize them. We expect that this joint R&D will contribute to advancing and vitalizing the commercialization of UAM.”
POSCO plans to lead the construction market by actively developing new steel types and methods that can be applied not only to UAM vertiport construction but also to future construction fields, such as hyper loops and floating structures.
