SAN DIEGO. With the start of ADEX (Seoul, Oct. 19, Booth A64), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) kicks off a busy fall season in the Republic of Korea. In addition to participating in ADEX – the largest aerospace event in ROK – 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 on the latest trends in Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems. The event will be held on Dec. 16-17, 2021 at the KAIST facility.

“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,” said Dr. David Hyunchul Shim, Director of CR2CENT.

GA-ASI, KAIST and CR2CENT worked together to host symposiums in 2017, 2018, and 2019, but not in 2020 due to COVID. The Dec. seminar, titled “Flight Safety Regulation Development and Integrated Operation Demonstration for Civil RPAS,” is part of a six-year project involving researchers from five universities and organizations in Korea, as well as collaborators from additional organizations.

GA-ASI is also continuing its work with Huneed Technologies Co. Ltd. (Huneed). In 2017, the two companies announced a Memorandum of Understating (MOU) for ongoing collaboration. New items that are now being considered as part of the MOU are: 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 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 Center (PED) for Real Time Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR); and collaborating on engineering, development, testing, and manufacturing for a Global Supply Chain Circuit Card Assembly (CCA)/Printed Wiring Assembly (PWA).

“GA-ASI is building strong relationships with ROK businesses and academia,” said Bob Schoeffling, vice president of international strategic development for GA-ASI. “Working collaboratively with entities like KAIST, CR2CENT and Huneed is helping GA-ASI establish itself as a long-term partner in ROK.”