[Industrial Daily]

While the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is planning to implement the standard model for commercialization of "K-drone delivery" this year, a "K-drone delivery special hall" was set up at the "2024 Korea Drone Fair."​

The booth, designed by the Korea Drone Delivery Association and WEFLO, which is in charge of drone delivery infrastructure, is largely composed of drone pads, delivery bases, control CCTVs, control buildings, and logistics buildings so that you can look at the overall standard model of drone delivery.

In the drone pad, logistics is loaded in the delivery drone or the stability of the aircraft is checked. In particular, non-contact maintenance is performed through the "AI Hyper-Convergence Gas Diagnostic Sensor" developed by Wiplo. It is explained that driving systems such as blades and motors can be automatically checked before takeoff to identify the condition of the aircraft and the cause of the problem, and to perform predictive maintenance.

Delivery bases are prepared in two types: drone pad type and mesh type. Drone pads are installed on islands or ports to take off and land, and nets are created in parks and operated in such a way that only logistics are dropped from the air. This is because drones are difficult to take off and land due to the nature of the park's environment.

The logistics delivered in this way are monitored in real time through control CCTV. Solar panels are attached so that necessary power can be produced and utilized regardless of the electricity supply environment.

Control Building, which operates and manages the entire delivery system, supplies drone batteries for charging and replacing, and repair parts. Data identified through the AI diagnostic sensor of the drone pad will be recorded and computerized as an SssS-based inspection dashboard in the control building, leading to predictive maintenance. It also manages overall drone delivery by tracking drone locations in real time to ensure on-time delivery to users.

The logistics building is designed to enable real-time inventory management. It handles from warehousing of goods to confirming customer orders, pick-up of shipments, packaging, and loading drones at once.

Kim Se-hee, head of Wiplo's team, said, "Gwan-dong and Logistics-dong are installed in the same place according to the local environment, such as mobile buildings, and the personnel working in Control-dong are in charge of logistics and delivery," adding, "After the demonstration project of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport last year, drone delivery systems have been established and commercialized in 14 local governments this year."

He then said, "We are studying ways to improve the efficiency of manpower utilization by minimizing control personnel and delivery base management personnel by setting the concept of 'unmanned' of the delivery system."

"With Wiplo, which used to develop contactless AI sensors as its main business, we have also experienced the establishment of drone delivery infrastructure through this project," he said. "We will expand our business into the field of non-contact automatic inspection and AI big data prediction and maintenance of future mobility platforms such as eVTOL's gas condition monitoring, Bertiport Hangar system, and electric vehicle driving inspection, appearance defects, and tire wear conditions inspection solutions when commercializing UAM in the future."

Meanwhile, the drone fair will be held at Songdo Convensia in Incheon until the 11th.