SK Telecom gets global approval for UAM-interworking tech standard

South Korea's SK Telecom Co. on Thursday said the International Telecommunication Union's Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) approved the company's application for standardization of its interworking technology for urban air mobility (UAM) services.

SK Telecom classified the standard's interworking structure into service, network, and gas and tip layers considering UAM characteristics and submitted a blueprint for interworking structure and data communication between layers.

SK Telecom said the ITU-T approval was the first for its standardization of UAM integration technology, adding that its information and communications technology capacity acquired so far was thanks to recognition by member companies.

An institution for standards research and standardization under the ITU, the ITU-T has an estimated 900 members from industry, academia and think tanks in 190 member countries.

With the ITU-T's approval of SK Telecom's standardization plan, the company will develop more detailed standards such as an interworking structure between each UAM layer and data types for linking with member companies. Official designation as a global standard comes after preliminary approval and final adoption.

SK Telecom Vice President Lee Jong-min, who heads the company's future R&D, said, "Through standardization, we will contribute to the development of UAM industries at home and abroad and energize the related ecosystem."

Write to Seung-Woo Lee at leeswoo@hankyung.com