Seoul city begins drone delivery demonstration in downtown area (South Korea)

On the 22nd, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it has begun a demonstration test of logistics drone delivery at a futuristic advanced logistics complex gas station in Seocho-gu.
Going one step further than conventional facilities that provide such services, this facility is a new concept that combines cutting-edge technology such as robots and drones with daily life logistics functions.
In November 2022, the city will transform GS Caltex Naegok gas station in Seocho-gu into a state-of-the-art logistics complex equipped with an automated logistics system.
It was selected as a model for a gas station with a 100% gasoline supply. It was the first gas station in Korea to start operations on November 23, last year. Since then, it has made 4,374 deliveries in about six months, averaging 875 deliveries per month.
The gas station has fully automated the delivery process through a logistics robot facility. Last year, the monthly delivery volume was just 219, but so far this year,
The number of cases increased to 1,039 cases per month after the previous year. The amount of cargo received has also increased significantly, from 5,115 units per month last year to 7,876 units per month this year.
According to the city's explanation, in the conventional system, people and forklifts played a key role in logistics transportation, but
However, in the current system, logistics robots handle logistics fully automatically, maximizing space utilization and efficiency.
At the "Auto Store," a 105-square-meter cutting-edge logistics facility located inside a gas station,
Six robots handle more than 1,700 boxes, processing 3,600 items per day. In addition, items stored in the gas station are immediately removed when an order is placed.
The city plans to conduct five delivery demonstrations between 1:25 pm and 7 pm on the 22nd in the area from Naegok Gas Station to Cheonggye Mountain Waterside Park.
Until now, drone delivery demonstrations have mainly been conducted in remote islands and mountainous areas, but this time it will be conducted in the center of Seoul, with the aim of making it a routine use.
The city will conduct drone flight tests and strive to establish daily life logistics services in the city center. The city hopes that this demonstration will make a significant contribution to logistics operations using drones.
"This will be a great contribution to the development of logistics in the center of Seoul," said Yoon Jong-jang, head of the city's urban transportation office.
"We want to confirm the possibility of using it as a core technology for next-generation cutting-edge logistics and take it to an even higher level."