South Korea to develop five-seat hybrid VTOL aircraft

South Korea’s space agency plans to localise key components for five-seat hybrid vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft and develop four prototypes by 2032.

The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) said it held a public hearing to gather opinions from industry, academia and research institutions on the aircraft’s development and assess additional demand from the public sector, Caliber.Az reports, citing Korean media.

The aircraft is expected to carry five people, have a range of more than 200 kilometers, a payload capacity of at least 600 kilograms and a flight time exceeding 60 minutes, KASA noted.

Unlike some VTOL aircraft powered entirely by batteries, the proposed hybrid model will also be equipped with an engine, enabling it to carry heavier payloads and travel longer distances.

KASA plans to submit the project to the Ministry of Science and ICT in November for consideration as a state-funded research and development initiative.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov