[KIDP Ulsan] Vololand “Pioneering the UAM Era with Drone Stations”
[KIDP Ulsan] Vololand “Pioneering the UAM Era with Drone Stations”
Posted June. 24, 2024 16:13,
Updated August. 30, 2024 10:10
[IT DongA x Ulsan City x Design-driven Manufacturing Innovation Center] The Korea Institute of Design Promotion(KIDP) has set up the 'Ulsan Design-driven Manufacturing Innovation Center' at the University of Ulsan. The center helps promising SMEs and startups in the region strengthen their design competitiveness. IT DongA introduces companies selected for the 'Design-driven Manufacturing Innovation Support Project' and supports their efforts to expand.
Today, drones fly in skies all over the world, changing the way people live. Thanks to unmanned delivery drones, people living in remote mountainous areas and islands can receive goods more easily than ever before. Industrial drones play an active role in monitoring large-scale facilities such as power plants and dams and inspecting them for any malfunctions. They can reach high and narrow places where humans cannot go, seeing what humans cannot see. By using drones, people can avoid getting hurt while inspecting facilities.
Therefore, information and communication companies in advanced countries have been devoting a lot of resources to the research and development of drones and related technologies. They are also actively researching ways to improve the operational stability of drones, advance unmanned technologies including autonomous driving, and utilize drones for next-generation transportation such as Urban Air Mobility (UAM).
An Seong-ho, CEO of Vololand introduces drone technology. / Source: Vololand
There are many companies in Korea researching and developing drones and related technologies, some of which have already made remarkable achievements comparable to those of their overseas competitors. One of them is Vololand, a startup that is growing with the aid of KIDP’s Design-driven Manufacturing Innovation Center in the city of Ulsan.
An Seong-ho, who leads Vololand, graduated from the Electrical Department at the Busan National Mechanical Technical High School in Haeundae, Busan, and served as an Air Force non-commissioned officer.
Leveraging his expertise in electrical and electronic engineering, he was responsible for maintaining avionics and navigation equipment, particularly for fighter jets.
After a career in aircraft design and maintenance, he majored in computer science and worked on network and software development and ship electrical system design.
An's career and experience come together in an interesting way: drones. Drones represent a multidisciplinary industry that combines electric and electronic engineering, communication and navigation, control systems, and mechanical design. With this background, An entered the drone industry and actively contributed as a board director of the Federation of Korean Drone Business, as well as a member of the Korea Research Association for Unmanned Vehicles.
In the early days, Vololand developed painting drones for the exterior walls of tall buildings. Building on this foundation, it has developed and secured various drone technologies, enabling it to currently work on the ‘Drone Demonstration City’ project funded by Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and to participate in a project to develop a tower-type multi-station with automatic replacement of smart batteries for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. Vololand’s main products now are drone stations and tethered drones.
Differentiating itself with ‘Drone Station' and wired 'Tethered Drone’
Let's take a look at industrial drones monitoring and inspecting large facilities such as dams and power plants.
Even the most powerful industrial drones only have a flight time of 30 to 40 minutes. When they have completed a task, they must land to replace the battery, check the propellers and fuselage for any abnormalities. Only then can it move on to the next task. Until now, all of these procedures have been carried out by humans, which means that maintenance personnel are always necessary to operate industrial drones.
Vololand staff inspect an industrial drone. / Source: Vololand
The Drone Station maintains drones on behalf of humans. It sends signals to drones that have finished their tasks or have low battery levels, and guides them to land safely on a landing pad on top of or next to the drone station. Once the drone has landed, it is sent inside the base where a robotic arm removes the battery and installs a new one. The drone is then sent back to the landing pad to take off again and get to work. Of course, the removed battery is recharged for the next mission.
With the Drone Station, you can control your industrial drones unmanned. This means that human presence is not needed to operate industrial drones in such locations as dams, power plants, mountains, remote roads and islands. This enables 24-hour operation. It's not just about replacing the drone's battery. The Drone Station is equipped with weather sensors to assess the suitability of the environment for industrial drones to operate. Naturally, it must be dust and water resistant to function in various weather conditions such as rain, wind, or snow. This is precisely what Vololand has launched.
CEO An has integrated his experience and expertise into the development of the Drone Station. At first, he implemented a precision landing guidance function and integrated control system to ensure the safe takeoff and landing of drones, eliminating the risk of failure or collision in any situation. Following that, he spearheaded research and development efforts on the creation of the most suitable form of Drone Station compatible with industrial drones of various sizes, roles, and functions.
Vololand's flagship item, the Drone Station / Source: Vololand
This gives Vololand the ability to customize a drone station to best suit any industrial drone, based on the appearance, size and flight mode of industrial drones. They manufacture Drone Stations not only for conventional industrial drones with propellers but also for drones equipped with Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capabilities.
As well, An has consistently researched technologies to improve the operational stability of both drone stations and industrial drones. These include: ▲ battery cell balancing to ensure uniform movement of the drone’s batteries; ▲ heating and cooling technology to maintain a consistent temperature for the drone’s batteries; ▲ weather observation sensors to detect internal and external condition of the Drone Station; and ▲ cloud systems for the remote transmission and management of data collected by industrial drones. Vololand's Drone Stations are already active in various locations, including Ulju-gun, Ulsan, Korea.
In addition to Drone Stations, Vololand manufactures industrial drones. Their flagship product is the tethered drone, which operates through a wired connection. While drones typically evoke images of wireless devices with multiple propellers soaring freely in the sky, Vololand's tethered drones offer a different solution.
Vololand's tethered drones at work / Source: Vololand
Tethered drones are connected to a cable, which restricts their flight range and altitude. However, they are useful for prolonged tasks, as they can fly for over 10 hours in one location. Tethered drones are already being used to monitor military installations, surveil highway traffic, relay communication signals to remote areas, and firefight in high-rise buildings.
An had previously worked on both wireless and tethered painting drones that fly over or alongside buildings to perform painting tasks. The technology developed during this research was integrated into Vololand's tethered drones. Typically, if the cable of a tethered drone is severed during flight, it invariably crashes. This is due to the momentary shift in the center of gravity, which alters the thrust of the propellers, causing the drone's body to become unbalanced.
Unlike conventional tethered drones, Vololand's models boast precise propeller control, enabling them to self-recover in instances of center of gravity shifts or balance loss. Moreover, they are capable of nighttime operations and can carry payloads of up to 10 kilograms, making them highly versatility.
In collaboration with Ulsan City and the Design-driven Manufacturing Innovation Center, Vololand is steadily advancing drone technology.
Vololand manufactures essential control components in-house to improve the completeness of the Drone Stations and tethered drones. Additionally, it invests in upgrading the performance of components to enhance competitiveness. Recently, the company has finalized the development of an artificial intelligence edge computer (SLAMer) that instantly processes and analyzes the data acquired by drones, preparing for its launch. This advancement enables Vololand's industrial drones to capture aerial images and conduct real-time analysis without relying on server transmission, thereby accelerating work processes and ensuring accuracy.
Vololand conducts tests on its industrial drones in various operating environments. / Source: Vololand
Ulsan Metropolitan City is actively promoting various drone projects, providing valuable opportunities for Vololand’s growth. As part of the Drone Smart Solution and Platform Construction Project under the Drone Industry Development Basic Plan and Regulatory Reform Roadmap 2.0, testing is underway in Ulju-gun, Ulsan City, to verify the utility of industrial drones for services such as mountain rescue operations in the Yeongnam Alps, agricultural management, crime prevention, urban management, and nuclear power plant safety assurance. Vololand is participating in this project to research drone stations and delivery drones.
Vololand is collaborating with partner companies and institutions to develop a payload-carrying delivery drone that will operate in Ulsan Metropolitan City. Funded by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport's Drone Demonstration City project in 2023, this payload-carrying delivery drone is designed to transport heavy protective equipment weighing up to 50 kilograms. Its mission is to deliver protective equipment swiftly and accurately in the event of an accident at a nuclear power plant. For this product, Vololand has applied for a patent for the "FC automatic control function," designed to detect changes in payload weight in real time and improves flight stability. This will enable the product to serve as a delivery platform capable of safely transporting not only protective gear but also various other goods.
Vololand's flagship item, the Drone Station / Source: Vololand
Vololand has partnered with KIDP’s Ulsan Design-driven Manufacturing Innovation Center. Together, they conducted research to improve the design of the drone station, explore material alternatives, and enhance functionality. CEO An appreciates their guidance, as it has led to structural enhancements, making the drone station more robust and durable against temperature fluctuations.
Attracting talents and forging partnerships are keys to its next leap forward
Building on these foundations and achievements, Vololand envisions another significant advancement. The company has achieved revenue stability through diversifying its business activities, and is now actively seeking both talent and investment. Its primary focus is on recruiting skilled individuals and establishing partnerships to strengthen its expertise in drone software and design. While the majority of Vololand’s workforce consists of aerodynamics engineers and drone specialists, bolstering its software and design capabilities will propel Vololand towards further growth.
Mr. An Seong-ho unveils the drone technology at the Ulsan Metropolitan City’s Mobility Exhibition / Source=Vololand
The company is also attracting its first investment funds. CEO An emphasizes that, given the company's in-house development of various drone technologies and its proven track record, scaling up will be straightforward once investment is secured.
Vololand showcases its payload-carrying drones at the Ulsan Future Fair 2023. / Source: Vololand
Vololand has also set the goal of leading in the adoption and development of drone technology within Korea.' Today, the global industrial drone market is largely dominated by Chinese companies. Therefore, Mr. An emphasizes Korea’s proprietary drone technology development is essential. This rationale also supports the idea that preventing technological dependency on China would lay the groundwork for promising industries such as autonomous driving and UAM. He urges the government to provide various demonstration opportunities and support to promote Korea’s drone industry.
If government support for the drone market is realized, Vololand is fully prepared to dedicate its efforts to establishing the 'Korean drone research and development market.' Drone stations are a promising technology that will expand both the range and application areas of industrial drones. As this technology matures, the scope of applications for industrial drones tailored to Korean businesses, namely Korean drones, will broaden within Korea. Vololand emphasizes that drones are essential for the smart city construction plans underway across various regions in Korea, and they aim to demonstrate the utility of Korean drones and drone stations.
Powering the UAM Era with Drone Technology
Vololand, which has participated in the construction of drone demonstration cities nationwide, including Ulju-gun in Ulsan, aims to leverage the achievements of these projects for further development. The company plans to enhance its capabilities to develop parts and technologies for industrial drones through talent acquisition and strategic partnerships. In addition to government projects, Vololand will also bolster its sales capabilities to pioneer the entire industrial drone sector.
CEO An Seong-ho (4th from left) participates in the inaugural meeting of 2023 Drone Demonstration City Project / Source: Vololand
An Seong-ho, CEO of Vololand, has unveiled plans to expand the company's business scope into the monitoring and surveillance sectors of infrastructure such as railways and highways. This expansion comes after substantiating the competitiveness of their industrial drone technology through practical demonstrations and technological refinement. The cornerstone of these plans lies in their Drone Stations. In addition to manufacturing drone stations compatible with the industrial drones currently in operation, Vololand is set to unveil its own industrial drones. Mr. An emphasized that these new products will be smaller, lighter, and more versatile compared to existing models.
Vololand staff conduct nighttime inspections of the Drone Station./ Source: Vololand
Once Vololand has established its overall expertise in the industrial drone sector, it aims to propose collaborations with promising drone companies in Korea, as well as with electronic, electrical, and communication security firms. The company believes that a strategy of collaboration and mutual growth is essential to realize the vast potential of the industrial drone market.
"Our primary goal is to establish ourselves as a recognized manufacturer of drone stations and tethered drones not only in Korea but also globally," said An. "We aim to grow into a company that contributes to various related industries, such as UAM power supply, monitoring systems, and power conversion modules for electric vehicles, by honing our industrial drone technology.”
BY Cha Ju-kyung (racingcar@itdonga.com)
Today, drones fly in skies all over the world, changing the way people live. Thanks to unmanned delivery drones, people living in remote mountainous areas and islands can receive goods more easily than ever before. Industrial drones play an active role in monitoring large-scale facilities such as power plants and dams and inspecting them for any malfunctions. They can reach high and narrow places where humans cannot go, seeing what humans cannot see. By using drones, people can avoid getting hurt while inspecting facilities.
Therefore, information and communication companies in advanced countries have been devoting a lot of resources to the research and development of drones and related technologies. They are also actively researching ways to improve the operational stability of drones, advance unmanned technologies including autonomous driving, and utilize drones for next-generation transportation such as Urban Air Mobility (UAM).
There are many companies in Korea researching and developing drones and related technologies, some of which have already made remarkable achievements comparable to those of their overseas competitors. One of them is Vololand, a startup that is growing with the aid of KIDP’s Design-driven Manufacturing Innovation Center in the city of Ulsan.
An Seong-ho, who leads Vololand, graduated from the Electrical Department at the Busan National Mechanical Technical High School in Haeundae, Busan, and served as an Air Force non-commissioned officer.
Leveraging his expertise in electrical and electronic engineering, he was responsible for maintaining avionics and navigation equipment, particularly for fighter jets.
After a career in aircraft design and maintenance, he majored in computer science and worked on network and software development and ship electrical system design.
An's career and experience come together in an interesting way: drones. Drones represent a multidisciplinary industry that combines electric and electronic engineering, communication and navigation, control systems, and mechanical design. With this background, An entered the drone industry and actively contributed as a board director of the Federation of Korean Drone Business, as well as a member of the Korea Research Association for Unmanned Vehicles.
In the early days, Vololand developed painting drones for the exterior walls of tall buildings. Building on this foundation, it has developed and secured various drone technologies, enabling it to currently work on the ‘Drone Demonstration City’ project funded by Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and to participate in a project to develop a tower-type multi-station with automatic replacement of smart batteries for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. Vololand’s main products now are drone stations and tethered drones.
Differentiating itself with ‘Drone Station' and wired 'Tethered Drone’
Let's take a look at industrial drones monitoring and inspecting large facilities such as dams and power plants.
Even the most powerful industrial drones only have a flight time of 30 to 40 minutes. When they have completed a task, they must land to replace the battery, check the propellers and fuselage for any abnormalities. Only then can it move on to the next task. Until now, all of these procedures have been carried out by humans, which means that maintenance personnel are always necessary to operate industrial drones.
The Drone Station maintains drones on behalf of humans. It sends signals to drones that have finished their tasks or have low battery levels, and guides them to land safely on a landing pad on top of or next to the drone station. Once the drone has landed, it is sent inside the base where a robotic arm removes the battery and installs a new one. The drone is then sent back to the landing pad to take off again and get to work. Of course, the removed battery is recharged for the next mission.
With the Drone Station, you can control your industrial drones unmanned. This means that human presence is not needed to operate industrial drones in such locations as dams, power plants, mountains, remote roads and islands. This enables 24-hour operation. It's not just about replacing the drone's battery. The Drone Station is equipped with weather sensors to assess the suitability of the environment for industrial drones to operate. Naturally, it must be dust and water resistant to function in various weather conditions such as rain, wind, or snow. This is precisely what Vololand has launched.
CEO An has integrated his experience and expertise into the development of the Drone Station. At first, he implemented a precision landing guidance function and integrated control system to ensure the safe takeoff and landing of drones, eliminating the risk of failure or collision in any situation. Following that, he spearheaded research and development efforts on the creation of the most suitable form of Drone Station compatible with industrial drones of various sizes, roles, and functions.
This gives Vololand the ability to customize a drone station to best suit any industrial drone, based on the appearance, size and flight mode of industrial drones. They manufacture Drone Stations not only for conventional industrial drones with propellers but also for drones equipped with Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capabilities.
As well, An has consistently researched technologies to improve the operational stability of both drone stations and industrial drones. These include: ▲ battery cell balancing to ensure uniform movement of the drone’s batteries; ▲ heating and cooling technology to maintain a consistent temperature for the drone’s batteries; ▲ weather observation sensors to detect internal and external condition of the Drone Station; and ▲ cloud systems for the remote transmission and management of data collected by industrial drones. Vololand's Drone Stations are already active in various locations, including Ulju-gun, Ulsan, Korea.
In addition to Drone Stations, Vololand manufactures industrial drones. Their flagship product is the tethered drone, which operates through a wired connection. While drones typically evoke images of wireless devices with multiple propellers soaring freely in the sky, Vololand's tethered drones offer a different solution.
Tethered drones are connected to a cable, which restricts their flight range and altitude. However, they are useful for prolonged tasks, as they can fly for over 10 hours in one location. Tethered drones are already being used to monitor military installations, surveil highway traffic, relay communication signals to remote areas, and firefight in high-rise buildings.
An had previously worked on both wireless and tethered painting drones that fly over or alongside buildings to perform painting tasks. The technology developed during this research was integrated into Vololand's tethered drones. Typically, if the cable of a tethered drone is severed during flight, it invariably crashes. This is due to the momentary shift in the center of gravity, which alters the thrust of the propellers, causing the drone's body to become unbalanced.
Unlike conventional tethered drones, Vololand's models boast precise propeller control, enabling them to self-recover in instances of center of gravity shifts or balance loss. Moreover, they are capable of nighttime operations and can carry payloads of up to 10 kilograms, making them highly versatility.
In collaboration with Ulsan City and the Design-driven Manufacturing Innovation Center, Vololand is steadily advancing drone technology.
Vololand manufactures essential control components in-house to improve the completeness of the Drone Stations and tethered drones. Additionally, it invests in upgrading the performance of components to enhance competitiveness. Recently, the company has finalized the development of an artificial intelligence edge computer (SLAMer) that instantly processes and analyzes the data acquired by drones, preparing for its launch. This advancement enables Vololand's industrial drones to capture aerial images and conduct real-time analysis without relying on server transmission, thereby accelerating work processes and ensuring accuracy.
Ulsan Metropolitan City is actively promoting various drone projects, providing valuable opportunities for Vololand’s growth. As part of the Drone Smart Solution and Platform Construction Project under the Drone Industry Development Basic Plan and Regulatory Reform Roadmap 2.0, testing is underway in Ulju-gun, Ulsan City, to verify the utility of industrial drones for services such as mountain rescue operations in the Yeongnam Alps, agricultural management, crime prevention, urban management, and nuclear power plant safety assurance. Vololand is participating in this project to research drone stations and delivery drones.
Vololand is collaborating with partner companies and institutions to develop a payload-carrying delivery drone that will operate in Ulsan Metropolitan City. Funded by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport's Drone Demonstration City project in 2023, this payload-carrying delivery drone is designed to transport heavy protective equipment weighing up to 50 kilograms. Its mission is to deliver protective equipment swiftly and accurately in the event of an accident at a nuclear power plant. For this product, Vololand has applied for a patent for the "FC automatic control function," designed to detect changes in payload weight in real time and improves flight stability. This will enable the product to serve as a delivery platform capable of safely transporting not only protective gear but also various other goods.
Vololand has partnered with KIDP’s Ulsan Design-driven Manufacturing Innovation Center. Together, they conducted research to improve the design of the drone station, explore material alternatives, and enhance functionality. CEO An appreciates their guidance, as it has led to structural enhancements, making the drone station more robust and durable against temperature fluctuations.
Attracting talents and forging partnerships are keys to its next leap forward
Building on these foundations and achievements, Vololand envisions another significant advancement. The company has achieved revenue stability through diversifying its business activities, and is now actively seeking both talent and investment. Its primary focus is on recruiting skilled individuals and establishing partnerships to strengthen its expertise in drone software and design. While the majority of Vololand’s workforce consists of aerodynamics engineers and drone specialists, bolstering its software and design capabilities will propel Vololand towards further growth.
The company is also attracting its first investment funds. CEO An emphasizes that, given the company's in-house development of various drone technologies and its proven track record, scaling up will be straightforward once investment is secured.
Vololand has also set the goal of leading in the adoption and development of drone technology within Korea.' Today, the global industrial drone market is largely dominated by Chinese companies. Therefore, Mr. An emphasizes Korea’s proprietary drone technology development is essential. This rationale also supports the idea that preventing technological dependency on China would lay the groundwork for promising industries such as autonomous driving and UAM. He urges the government to provide various demonstration opportunities and support to promote Korea’s drone industry.
If government support for the drone market is realized, Vololand is fully prepared to dedicate its efforts to establishing the 'Korean drone research and development market.' Drone stations are a promising technology that will expand both the range and application areas of industrial drones. As this technology matures, the scope of applications for industrial drones tailored to Korean businesses, namely Korean drones, will broaden within Korea. Vololand emphasizes that drones are essential for the smart city construction plans underway across various regions in Korea, and they aim to demonstrate the utility of Korean drones and drone stations.
Powering the UAM Era with Drone Technology
Vololand, which has participated in the construction of drone demonstration cities nationwide, including Ulju-gun in Ulsan, aims to leverage the achievements of these projects for further development. The company plans to enhance its capabilities to develop parts and technologies for industrial drones through talent acquisition and strategic partnerships. In addition to government projects, Vololand will also bolster its sales capabilities to pioneer the entire industrial drone sector.
An Seong-ho, CEO of Vololand, has unveiled plans to expand the company's business scope into the monitoring and surveillance sectors of infrastructure such as railways and highways. This expansion comes after substantiating the competitiveness of their industrial drone technology through practical demonstrations and technological refinement. The cornerstone of these plans lies in their Drone Stations. In addition to manufacturing drone stations compatible with the industrial drones currently in operation, Vololand is set to unveil its own industrial drones. Mr. An emphasized that these new products will be smaller, lighter, and more versatile compared to existing models.
Once Vololand has established its overall expertise in the industrial drone sector, it aims to propose collaborations with promising drone companies in Korea, as well as with electronic, electrical, and communication security firms. The company believes that a strategy of collaboration and mutual growth is essential to realize the vast potential of the industrial drone market.
"Our primary goal is to establish ourselves as a recognized manufacturer of drone stations and tethered drones not only in Korea but also globally," said An. "We aim to grow into a company that contributes to various related industries, such as UAM power supply, monitoring systems, and power conversion modules for electric vehicles, by honing our industrial drone technology.”
BY Cha Ju-kyung (racingcar@itdonga.com)
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