Korea to preview electric air taxis above coastal skies of Jeju Island

Against the volcanic backdrop of Jeju Island, the future of personal transit will take flight Wednesday as officials get set to offer the public its clearest look yet at the country's upcoming air taxi network.

At the "Jeju UAM Service Showcase" in Seogwipo, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will host a live flight demonstration featuring an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The flight will operate off the coast of Seogwipo’s Seongsan Ilchulbong — a UNESCO World Heritage volcanic crater — and Seopjikoji, a scenic coastal promontory located on the eastern end of the resort island, a Volocopter 2X craft, developed by German aviation pioneer Volocopter.

The flight will give onlookers a tangible preview of commercial urban air mobility in action.

The demonstration will not merely be a high-tech spectacle, but a functional trial run designed to model actual commercial operations.

Onboard high-definition cameras will stream real-time footage of the dramatic coastline directly to ground stations, allowing spectators to experience the passenger persp ...