South Korea’s military is planning to procure approximately 11,000 commercial drones for training purposes by the end of the year, according to Yonhap News Agency. The acquisition process is set to begin this week, with bids closing in late May and the contract expected to be awarded in July following evaluation and verification.
Officials noted that priority will be given to drones incorporating domestically produced components, supporting local industry while reducing dependence on foreign technologies. The initiative forms part of the government’s “500,000 drone warrior” program, which seeks to provide unmanned systems training to all conscripts during mandatory service, enhancing operational readiness and equipping personnel with transferable civilian skills.
Alongside procurement, Seoul is accelerating domestic drone innovation. In February, a consortium involving Uniquest Corporation, Arion, and US-based GuRu Wireless launched development of a drone designed for persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. The project aims to address battery limitations through wireless power transmission and autonomous flight capabilities.
In parallel, Korean Air has been working on a modular “open drone” architecture since last year, enabling rapid reconfiguration based on mission requirements. This effort is supported by collaboration with the Agency for Defense Development, aligned with broader plans to standardize and scale unmanned capabilities across the armed forces.
