Korean Air has entered into a research cooperation agreement with Swedish technology company Wingbits.
The collaboration will provide Korean Air’s R&D Center with access to real-time flight-tracking data to advance airspace integration research for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). This data will support the development, research, and testing of ACROSS (Air Control and Routing Orchestrated Skyway System), Korean Air R&D’s integrated air traffic control and routing coordination system.
Wingbits will provide high-quality, real-time ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) data from its flight-tracking network. The data will cover the Incheon Flight Information Region as well as portions of North America and Europe. This information will be used for the next phase of ACROSS development, testing, and operational surveillance. The partnership contributes to Korean Air’s research and development of urban air mobility technologies and unmanned aircraft.
KwangOh Moon, Principal Researcher AAM at Korean Air R&D Center, said, “Precise, secure, real-time data is foundational to our work. We chose to cooperate with Wingbits to integrate their data network into our R&D activities, specifically to enhance the global capabilities of our ACROSS platform. This collaboration will help us produce world-class outcomes in airspace integration research, and we look forward to our mutual success.”
Robin Wingårdh, CEO and Co-Founder of Wingbits, added, “Everything we do at Wingbits is geared towards creating a safer, more secure system for aviation data for the purpose of supporting the aviation industry. That’s why we’re so excited about this agreement with Korean Air’s R&D Center, which represents the highest levels of aviation research at one of the world’s most prestigious airlines. Using Wingbits data, The Center will continue its work developing and researching ways to strengthen the foundation for advancing next-generation air mobility solutions that prioritize safety, efficiency, and innovation in an increasingly complex global airspace.”
Wingbits’ network uses dedicated encrypted hardware and rewards contributors for transmitting ADS-B data. According to the company, it has achieved 80% global coverage with more than 4,500 active stations, tracking 150,000 flights daily.
