Korean Air is set to unveil advanced strategic technologies that will lead the future of aviation at a major startup and tech fair.
The airline announced on June 18 that it will participate in 'NextRise 2026,' taking place at COEX in Gangnam, Seoul.
The exhibition will showcase cutting-edge strategic technologies divided into three main areas: intelligent control, which will be key to future urban air mobility; autonomous piloting, the foundation of next-generation combat systems; and intelligent maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) technologies.
In the intelligent control sector, Korean Air will introduce its integrated control solution, 'ACROSS,' which acts as a traffic signal for the skies, providing direction for the future air traffic management system.
In the autonomous piloting section, the company will present a future combat system where artificial intelligence (AI) makes independent decisions and integrates battlefield command. It will also showcase its ongoing development of low-observable unmanned aerial vehicles and subsonic unmanned target drones, along with the first public reveal of flight footage of an AI drone developed in collaboration with U.S. defense firm Anduril.
In the intelligent maintenance area, Korean Air will demonstrate 'smart MRO,' which utilizes robots and AI to transform aircraft maintenance paradigms. Inspection drones and ground rovers will accurately capture images of the aircraft's upper and lower surfaces, while AI analyzes the footage to detect even minor defects, immediately notifying maintenance personnel of any issues.
A Korean Air official stated, “We aim to widely promote our advanced strategic aviation technologies and strengthen collaboration and investment foundations with relevant organizations. We will continue to lead the digital transformation of South Korea's aerospace industry through ongoing technological exchanges and cooperative efforts with domestic venture and small-medium enterprises.”
Meanwhile, as Korean Air prepares for its merger with Asiana Airlines later this year, it is expanding investments in next-generation aircraft and the aerospace sector to solidify its future growth foundation.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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