WAVUS, a specialist in geospatial information systems (GIS) and digital twin technology, is accelerating its push into the future urban air mobility (UAM) platform market after securing a contract from Korea Airports Corporation to develop a lift-type digital vertiport platform.

Building on its previous experience in developing digital vertiport platforms, the company is expanding its business into lift-type platforms and further strengthening its technological competitiveness.

WAVUS announced on July 27 that it had signed a contract with Korea Airports Corporation for the “Lift-Type Digital Vertiport Platform Development Project.”

The term “vertiport,” combining “vertical flight” and “port,” refers to a dedicated facility that supports the takeoff and landing of UAM aircraft, passenger boarding and disembarkation, charging, maintenance, and other related operations.

Conventional vertiports require large sites, limiting their application in densely developed urban areas. Lift-type vertiports, by contrast, significantly improve space efficiency by moving their takeoff and landing platforms vertically, much like a mechanical parking system or an elevator. They are therefore regarded as a next-generation form of UAM infrastructure.

Under the project, WAVUS will develop an integrated operations platform that digitally replicates the lift-type vertiport.

The platform will use digital twin technology to precisely manage information on obstacles in urban areas and create an operating environment in which aircraft can take off and land as safely and efficiently as possible.

The contract is also significant as an extension of WAVUS’s previous work in the sector.

WAVUS previously completed Korea Airports Corporation’s digital vertiport platform development project, establishing Korea’s first implementation track record in this field. The company’s technological capabilities and proven project delivery record are believed to have contributed to its selection for the latest lift-type platform project.

Through the new project, WAVUS will extend the application of its technology beyond ground-level and rooftop vertiports to include lift-type vertiports.

Vertiport operations platforms integrate and manage flight operations, spatial data, facilities, and safety information, and are considered essential infrastructure for the future UAM era. WAVUS expects the project to further strengthen its technological edge and raise barriers to entry for competitors.

“This project is particularly meaningful because it expands our platform portfolio into lift-type vertiports, building on our previous experience in developing digital vertiport systems,” a WAVUS official said.

“We will continue to advance UAM operations platforms based on digital twin and geospatial technologies and contribute to the development of Korea’s UAM industry.”

Going forward, WAVUS plans to use its digital twin and geospatial platform technologies to promote digital transformation across future mobility sectors, including airports, vertiports, and smart cities, while continuing to enhance its competitiveness in global markets.

With the latest contract, WAVUS has expanded its business scope from conventional digital vertiport platforms to lift-type platforms, further strengthening its position in the market for core infrastructure supporting the future urban air mobility industry.

By Jang Hyo-won

specialjhw@asiae.co.kr

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