Anchor

Delivery services using unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, are attracting significant attention.

They are said to enable convenient deliveries even to hard-to-reach places such as islands, valleys, and city outskirts.

Ulju County in Ulsan began a pilot drone delivery project starting on the 30th of last month.

This is reporter Jo Hee-soo with the report.

Reporter

A drone carrying goods flies over the mountains.

It stops at the delivery point, lowers the package, and flies away again.

Two bowls of jajangmyeon were delivered just five minutes after ordering.

Since the 30th of last month, Ulju County has been conducting a three-month pilot drone delivery service for food items weighing under 3 kilograms.

There are three delivery hubs located at Jagcheonjeong in Samnam-eup, the Complex Welcome Center in Sangbuk-myeon, and Jinha Public Parking Lot in Seosaeng-myeon, with drone deliveries made to 15 delivery points including Starlight Campground, Ganwoljae, and Myeongseonggyo.

Delivery is restricted during rain or strong winds, but otherwise, customers can order from 268 food items such as coffee, jajangmyeon, kimbap, and supermarket products through the 'K-Drone Delivery' app for a delivery fee of 3,000 won per trip.

[Lee Soon-gul / Ulju County Governor: “With drone delivery of goods, we have entered an era where drone services can be experienced in daily life. Ulju County will continue to lead the commercialization of K-Drone Delivery as a pioneer.”]

Restaurant owners welcome the new delivery method, hoping it will help revitalize the local economy.

[Kim Eun-young / Restaurant Owner: “If drone delivery to Ganwoljae is possible, it could become a unique tourist-specialized product not found anywhere else in the country, which is a great advantage.”]

Ulju County plans to review the pilot results, identify areas for improvement, and consider expanding the drone delivery service.

This is Jo Hee-soo reporting for KBS News.