Local Collaboration Key to Growth
As it participates in ADEX 2021, which opens in Seoul today, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., (GA-ASI) is preparing for a period of intense activity in Korea, the company announced on 18 October.
GA-ASI is working with the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Korea’s Civil RPAS Research Center (CR2CENT) to hold a symposium at KAIST on 16-17 December on the latest trends in Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems. “Our series of workshops have offered valuable opportunities to learn the latest trends of civil RPA implementation and share the experiences of RPA operation in civil airspace globally,” explained Dr David Hyunchul Shim, Director of CR2CENT. The three organisations hosted symposia in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and the 2021 symposium – entitled ‘Flight Safety Regulation Development and Integrated Operation Demonstration for Civil RPAS,’ is part of a six-year project involving researchers from five universities and organisations in Korea, as well as collaborators from additional entities.
GA-ASI is also continuing its work with Huneed Technologies, having announced an MoU for ongoing collaboration in 2017. New items now under consideration include the integration of Huneed’s High-Capacity Trunk Radio System (HCTRS) radios for GA-ASI’s MQ-9 RPA, which would enable a relay/repeater function and connect geographically disconnected teams, as well as a commercial-quality WiFi network, into GA-ASI’s SkyTower solution. GA-ASI is also looking to the collaboration on the development of an Integrated Intelligence Center for the RoK to provide the processing, exploration, and distribution (PED) center for real-time ISR, and collaborating on engineering, development, testing, and manufacturing for a global supply chain Circuit Card Assembly/Printed Wiring Assembly (CCA/PWA).
“GA-ASI is building strong relationships with RoK businesses and academia,” stated Bob Schoeffling, VP of International Strategic Development. “Working collaboratively with entities like KAIST, CR2CENT and Huneed is helping GA-ASI establish itself as a long-term partner in RoK.”