Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has formed a partnership with U.S.-based Shield AI to collaborate on verifying AI autonomous flight technology. On March 5, they signed a contract for the use of Shield AI's AI-based autonomous flight software, "HiveMind Enterprise (HME)," in conjunction with Quantum Aero, Shield AI's domestic supplier.
HME is a software solution that provides autonomy for unmanned aerial vehicles and drones to carry out missions. Since 2018, it has been applied to aircraft such as the F-16 (X-62 VISTA), GA-ASI MQ-20 Avenger, and Kratos MQM-178 Firejet, successfully demonstrating AI-based autonomous flight capabilities. KAI plans to use this software to validate the free flight technology of its independently developed AI pilot and to integrate it into a scaled-down multipurpose unmanned aerial vehicle (AAP) for demonstration purposes. This initiative aims to shorten the development timeline of the AI pilot and enhance the technology.
KAI engineers are set to visit Shield AI’s headquarters in San Diego next month for training and discussions on utilizing the software.
As the only company in South Korea with extensive experience in aircraft development and rich flight data, KAI aims to strengthen its competitiveness in the global market through the development of AI pilots. To this end, the company plans to implement a next-generation air combat system, a key component of manned-unmanned combined combat systems, starting in the second half of 2023. Last year, KAI invested 102.5 billion won in developing AI, big data, and autonomous/unmanned technologies.
Additionally, to enhance AI pilot capabilities and build a domestic ecosystem, KAI has established strategic partnerships with AI big data company Conan, decision-making AI specialist FunGene, and AI-based defense synthetic data solution firm GenGenAI. This year, KAI plans to equip the AAP scaled-down model with an AI pilot to conduct demonstrations of basic navigation, obstacle avoidance flight, and target recognition. The upcoming AAP set for release this year will also feature the AI pilot.
In a recent public naming competition, KAI announced that the name for its AI pilot under development will be "K-AILOT."
"We will rapidly validate the AI pilot technology we are developing in various ways and elevate it to world-class standards," said Choi Nak-seon, head of KAI's AI/Electronic Warfare Research Center. "Please keep an eye on the evolution and growth of Korea's representative AI pilot, K-AILOT."
