Icheon City Establishes Gyeonggi Province's First 'Unmanned Aircraft Flight Test Bed'

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Eom In-yong] Icheon City announced on the 2nd that it has begun construction of a flight test bed for unmanned aircraft demonstration testing and military drone technology development along the Cheongmi Stream.

The flight test bed construction project was pursued with the purpose of providing drone testing infrastructure for related companies and military units, discovering safety standards research and business models through drone demonstration tests, and contributing to national defense through tactical training of military drones for stationed forces.

The Icheon unmanned aircraft flight test bed facilities will include ▲test flight runway ▲helipad for shock absorption during landing ▲unmanned aircraft maintenance and standby spaces, optimized for unmanned aircraft demonstration testing.

In particular, while interest and demand in the drone industry have recently been increasing, the issue of insufficient performance testing locations has been continuously raised. The city expects that by constructing the flight test bed, it will serve as a starting point not only for the city but also for revitalizing the drone industry in eastern Gyeonggi Province.

Accordingly, the city plans to operate the test bed facilities by accepting applications from companies and military units throughout the nation seeking unmanned aircraft demonstration and technology development, and continuously researches ways to revitalize the drone industry and military defense drones, with plans to become a center city for advanced drones.

Icheon City Mayor Kim Gyeong-hee stated, “Through the construction of the Icheon flight test bed, Icheon City will serve as the center of the drone industry in eastern Gyeonggi Province and establish a foundation for related companies to come,” and added, “Not only through the test bed construction project but also by continuously discovering advanced technologies that can become Icheon's future growth engines, we will develop Icheon into a city good for business.”