Sangju to Lead Korea's 2026 Drone Demonstration, Expanding Drone-Robot Delivery
Sangju, a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, has been selected by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to lead the 2026 Drone Demonstration City project. This marks the city’s second consecutive year hosting the program, which pilots drone delivery and related services in real-world settings.
The program aims to test innovative drone delivery and administrative services tailored to local conditions, helping municipalities build practical drone services. Sangju will receive the national funds associated with the project, including around 100 million won, and will push to advance delivery technology around Gyecheonseom Island on the Nam River.
The demonstration is powered by a consortium led by Sangju and including Dumdum Co., Ltd.; Korea Airports Corporation; and the Gyeongbuk IT Convergence Industry Technology Institute. Dumdum will handle the design and operation of custom drones and ground rovers, Korea Airports Corporation will develop an integrated air-traffic control-like system, and the institute will provide technical support and analyze demonstration data.
A central feature this year is the introduction of a “drone-robot dual-hub hybrid model.” After trialing a single, integrated drone-robot system last year, the project will run the drone (mid-mile) and the robot (last-mile) as separate, coordinated units. The core technology, the Automatic Box Handover System, will see drones deliver a delivery box to a ground robot on Gyecheonseom, which then completes the final handoff to customers.
The arrangement is expected to dramatically increase the number of items delivered per trip—from about four beverage bottles to as many as 16—by leveraging the robot’s last-mile capabilities. Sangju also plans to connect the service with public delivery platforms to reduce barriers to entry for users.
Beyond delivering beverages, participating robots will operate autonomously within Gyecheonseom to explore other public-service applications, expanding the use cases of the technology beyond courier tasks.
City officials say being selected for a second year signals Sangju’s emergence as a hub for future mobility and its commitment to moving beyond experimental pilots toward a viable business model for K-drone delivery.
The project fits into broader policy and industry trends with potential implications for the United States. It illustrates ongoing efforts to validate end-to-end drone-enabled logistics, integrate aerial and ground autonomous systems, and create test beds and pilot zones that could influence cross-border supply chains, e-commerce delivery, and smart-city security policies.
Looking ahead, Sangju plans a long-term roadmap to grow its drone ecosystem, including pursuing designation as a drone-friendly special economic zone, establishing a drone test bed, and building an AI-based smart wildfire monitoring system to broaden the scope of drone applications.