Deep Tech Start-Up Makes Technology for Democraticization of Flight

In 2019, over 70 million passengers passed through Incheon Airport alone, demonstrating the widespread adoption of air travel. Despite its familiarity, technologies like drones and UAMs still seem like a distant future for many.

Conceptually, drones and conventional aircraft differ only in their unmanned operation. While this may seem like a minor distinction, it unlocks significant economic benefits, enabling broader public access to aviation technology. This is why the core advantage of drones is often referred to as Democratization of Flying.

However, this advantage comes with a trade-off: ensuring stability and reliability. The aviation industry has historically addressed stability concerns through stringent regulations, limiting participation to a small number of licensed manufacturers and operators under complex regulatory frameworks. Maintaining this structure, however, would undermine the core value of drones.

Therefore, the key to unlocking the potential of drones and UAMs lies in solving the following conundrum: How can we ensure the same level of reliable airworthiness (the ability to fly safely) as conventional aircraft while allowing widespread operation of small unmanned vehicles?

WEFLO is a company that addresses this challenge by enabling Democratization of Flying while ensuring the airworthiness of drones. In the traditional aviation industry, airworthiness is achieved through extensive and complex manual inspections. However, applying the same approach to numerous drones is not only inefficient but also unsuitable for their miniaturized and characteristics.

WEFLO is a groundbreaking startup that is revolutionizing the drone/UAM industry by automating diagnostics and care for the first time in the world. Their innovative solution utilizes a variety of non-contact sensors to collect physical and mechanical data from drones, enabling users to predict and assess aircraft risks. WEFLO also offer MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Operations) services based on the collected diagnostic data, providing trust and efficiency in all areas necessary to maintain drone airworthiness.

While the number of registered aircraft in Korea is less than 1,000, the number of drones already registered in the country has exceeded 30,000. As the drone market grows rapidly, the issue of ensuring airworthiness is becoming increasingly important. Drones may still seem like a futuristic technology, but we hope that you will join us in looking forward to the day when WEFLO solves the challenges facing the drone market and we can all become participants in flight.

– By BASS Investment Director Lee Moo-young