Plana, OneSky sign MOU for AAM aircraft operation

Plana (Gyeonggi-do, South Korea) is joining forces with OneSky (Exton, Pa., U.S.), an uncrewed aircraft systems traffic management (UTM) solution provider. According to the signed business agreement, Plana is joining OneSky’s Future of Flight program to further advanced air mobility (AAM) on efforts including UTM solutions and operational concept verification of the company’s CP-01 composite hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing (HeVTOL).

OneSky’s Future of Flight program is a cooperative ecosystem of industry leaders and innovators that enables partners to come together to shorten the time it takes to get to scalable operations. Currently, more than 20 companies are participating in the program, including Skyports and Volatus, as well as Echodyne, a radar developer, and Supernal, Hyundai’s urban air mobility (UAM) U.S. subsidiary.

The two companies plan to combine OneSky’s airspace situational awareness, flight planning and simulation and UTM/UATM solutions with Plana’s expertise in developing and manufacturing HeVTOL aircraft. In addition, the companies expect to verify the operational concept of Plana’s CP-01 aircraft under development, refine the technical roadmap by coordinating technical requirements, explore solutions to AAM industry regulations in various countries and discover business models.

According to Minyoung Ahn, Plana CSO and cofounder, “For safe and efficient aviation of AAM aircraft, it is necessary to utilize UTM functions for automation and long-term processes including VFR [visual flight rules].”

“Through this agreement, OneSky has secured an important partner in the operating of AAM aircraft,” Robert Hammett, OneSky CEO, notes. “We will contribute to the evolving AAM industry by implementing safe aircraft operation through sharing know-how and cooperation between the two companies.”