South Korea conducted a "flying taxi" demonstration yesterday. It is reported that the aircraft used in the demonstration was made by a German manufacturer. The aircraft climbed to an altitude of about 50 meters and flew the scheduled 3 km route in about 3 minutes. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of South Korea, this is the first time a "flying taxi" has been demonstrated at an airport. Next week, a system for operation and management to prevent collisions with aircraft will be launched near Incheon Airport.

Last year, South Korea announced a roadmap to commercialize "urban air travel" by 2025. South Korea’s Ministry of Transportation estimates that this type of service can shorten the travel time between 30 kilometers and 50 kilometers from the one-hour driving time to 20 minutes.

South Korea’s Ministry of Transport stated that when commercial services are launched in 2025, the fare from Incheon International Airport to Seoul’s city centre is expected to be around 110,000 won (approximately US$93), which is more expensive than premium taxis. But after 2035, when the market matures, the fare per trip will dro to around 20,000 won.