CJ to Provide Drone Services Capable of Carrying 3kg Cargo at 60 kph

The CJ Group has opened the era of drone commercialization for the first time in the country. The Ministry of National Defense already introduced drones for surveillance operations, but it is the first time for any private enterprise to start drone services.

On May 14, the CJ Group forged a business partnership with the Ministry of Public Safety and Security for disaster relief, announcing that it will provide drone services for cargo, food and beverage, and drugs to quickly respond to disasters.

What is most noticeable is the CJ Sky Door, a drone for cargo revealed by CJ Korea Express for the first time. CJ Sky Door is a mid-sized drone equipped with four three-bladed rotors. It can fly at a speed of up to 60 km/h for 70 minutes. The flying radius of the drone is 20km, and the maximum altitude is 4,000 m above sea level. It can carry 3 kg of cargo such as medicine or food. It can deliver goods either as a cargo box or with a detachable container. The former is equipped with an automatic switching feature for loading cargo, and the latter loads the cargo at the bottom of the drone.

An associate at CJ Korea Express said, “We developed three CJ Sky Doors, planning to increase the number to six in the future.”

However, it will take time for the company to utilize the newly-developed drones for its delivery service. Since there are no provisions related to operating drones right now, it is illegal for private companies to run unmanned aerial vehicles. First, CJ Korea Express is planning to use drones for disaster relief by negotiating with relevant government agencies. In the long term, the company will introduce drone delivery services to remote and isolated areas in which existing delivery services are currently unavailable, once the related laws are made.