PLANA, a hybrid electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) manufacturer, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with LG Uplus for joint research on 5G/LTE-based avionics data communications of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) on the 13th of February 2023.
Based on this agreement, both companies plan to jointly develop data communication technologies between a UAM traffic management platform and a UAM aircraft to acquire its operation data through a demonstration program.
For a safe operation of high-density UAM traffic, a 5G network is an essential part of its flight altitude between 1,000 and 2,000 feet, enabling high speed and spontaneous ground-to-aircraft and aircraft-to-aircraft communications.
Braden J. Kim, CEO of PLANA, said, “I am delighted to launch a joint research program with LG Uplus, which owns the best quality communications infrastructure in Korea. I expect this research to become a major milestone for us in accelerating the realization of UAM and leading the industry.”
Youngseo Jeon, head of corporate service development lab of LG Uplus, mentioned that “it is quite a meaningful moment for LG Uplus to start a collaboration with PLANA, a Korean sole hybrid eVTOL startup, which offers intracity to intercity flight operations. We plan to maximize the safety of UAM’s operation and passenger convenience through deploying 5G/LTE technologies to UAM.”
PLANA, founded in July 2021, is Korea’s sole Hybrid eVTOL startup. PLANA develops hybrid eVTOL aircraft, with a capacity of 4 to 6 passengers and one pilot, a cruising speed of 300 km/h (maximum 350 km/h), and a flight range of more than 500km. PLANA plans to finish the pure battery-based eVTOL subscale test this year and launch a branch office in the United States for closer communication and to start the certification process with FAA, aiming to commercialize its certified aircraft in 2028. The company participates in the Korean Grand Challenge UAM demonstration project organized by Korea Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT).