Gyeonggi Province Steps Up Drone Business Competitiveness with Performance Test and Testbed Cost Support

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province is launching support for drone performance testing and test flight testbed costs to provide drone companies with technology stabilization and demonstration opportunities.

According to the province on the 5th, this "Drone Test Flight Testbed Cost Support Project" is a new project introduced this year by the Gyeonggi Province administration to strengthen product and service competitiveness by providing demonstration opportunities to promising drone companies in the province.

First, "Drone Performance Testing Cost" will support up to 4 million won per company on a first-come-first-served basis, targeting small and medium-sized drone enterprises in the province seeking to conduct performance testing on self-developed or modified drone airframes.

At the Korea Construction Living Environment Test Institute (KCL), companies can select and conduct tests from items among Korean Standards (KS) including KS W 9001, 9131, 9132, and international standards (ISO, IEC, ASTM, etc.).

"Drone Test Flight Testbed Cost" will support up to 5 million won per company, and any small or medium-sized drone-related enterprise in the province wishing to conduct test flights for demonstration can participate.

The testbed location is the second campus of Korea Polytechnic University (65 MTV North Road, Siheung), and if companies secure demonstration sites on their own, support is available at other locations as well. Support is provided within the necessary test-related costs including facility leasing fees, equipment costs, and external personnel costs.

However, applications must be submitted at least one week before the flight schedule, and if flight approval permission is required, a flight approval certificate must be submitted after confirming the schedule.

For more details, you can check the Gyeonggi Techno Park website (www.gtp.or.kr), and applications can be made by downloading the relevant forms and submitting them online.

Recruitment runs from April 1st until the budget is exhausted.

Im Moon-young, Gyeonggi Province's Future Growth Policy Director, stated, "We planned this support project in response to companies' concerns about the shortage of drone test flight spaces and the need for certification for commercialization," and added, "Going forward, we will continue to listen to the opinions of drone companies in the province and will not hesitate to provide support for matters necessary for their growth."