KARI - Korea Aerospace Research institute

From 2015 to 2017, KARI developed and validated shipboard operation technology for the 200 kg-class tiltrotor UAV (TR-60) with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy. The project aimed to develop autonomous launch and recovery technology for missions, such as deep-sea fish detection, illegal fishing surveillance, and maritime safety monitoring.
The UAV successfully performed 10 consecutive autonomous takeoffs and landings on a 4,300-ton Korea Coast Guard training vessel traveling at 10 knots. Unlike land-based operations, ship decks are subject to irregular motion due to waves, generating unstable airflow. Therefore, precise autonomous guidance to the landing point is critical for ensuring safe landings in unfavorable conditions.
KARI developed a high-precision relative navigation system using Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS technology, which is capable of providing centimeter-level accuracy for determining the distance between the UAV and the ship. The ground control system was miniaturized for onboard operations and incorporated flight control logic to track the vessel's motion. Additionally, stabilized ground tracking antennas were developed to ensure reliable communication, regardless of ship movement.
The successful demonstration of shipboard takeoff and landing proved the feasibility of tiltrotor UAVs for maritime operations. This achievement laid the groundwork for expanding UAV use from land-based to ocean-based missions, including fishery monitoring, illegal fishing surveillance, and maritime safety. Notably, this was not only Korea’s first autonomous UAV shipboard landing but also the world’s first for a tiltrotor UAV. The results were published in two SCIE-indexed journals, enhancing the global standing of Korean aerospace research and the commercial potential of domestic UAV technologies.