PLANA, U.S. City Mayor Discuss Collaboration Opportunities

PLANA has talked with a U.S. city official about the potential collaboration opportunities in the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector and its hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (HeVTOL) aircraft.

The two parties held talks after Tammy Kim, the Vice Mayor of Irvine in the U.S. state of California, visited PLANA’s Research and Development (R&D) Center in Icheon, South Korea on June 1. 

During the visit, the official spoke to Braden J. Kim, PLANA’s CEO, about PLANA’s Irvine office, which opened in March, and had discussions regarding potential areas for collaboration around economic development and technological innovation. 

Vice Mayor Kim engaged in productive discussions with the facility’s top researchers and executives, who provided her with valuable insights into the latest advancements and emerging technologies in advanced air mobility (AAM). The Vice Mayor’s visit to PLANA’s R&D center aligns with her ongoing efforts to promote economic development and offer support to Korean businesses seeking to expand into the U.S.

The mayor underscored the significance of promoting international cooperation and leveraging both parties’ technological expertise to drive innovation and economic growth.

“The establishment of PLANA’s presence in Irvine will not only enhance our technology ecosystem, but also create exciting opportunities for collaboration, research, and economic growth,” Vice Mayor Kim said. “As a Korean American, I look forward to the fruitful partnerships that will arise from this venture and the advancements we will achieve together.”

Braden J. Kim sees a lot of potential in the city of Irvine, given its reputation as an aviation hub, and is looking forward to driving the growth and development of AAM in the Californian city.

“Irvine thrives as an aerospace hub with prominent players like Parker Aerospace, Unical Aviation, and Zephyr Aerospace. The AAM industry is also expanding, with emerging air taxi developers OverAir and Supernal,” he said. “Collaborating with the city on policy, business, and infrastructure development paves the way for a new era in AAM. Together, we’ll revolutionize urban air mobility and shape the future of the industry.”

The collaboration possibilities with the city of Irvine come after PLANA signed an agreement with MOVIATION, a South Korean urban air mobility (UAM) service platform that enables people to book air vehicles such as eVTOLs and helicopters through an app.

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