North Dakota Delegation Visits FineVT Robotics LAB to Advance Korea–U.S. Cooperation in UAV and UAM Technologies

Exploring Strategic Collaboration in UAV Manufacturing, Advanced R&D, Flight Testing, Blue UAS-Aligned Technology, and Academic Exchange

A delegation from the State of North Dakota, United States, visited FineVT Robotics LAB to discuss opportunities for strategic cooperation in the unmanned aviation and advanced mobility sectors.

During the meeting, representatives from both sides exchanged views on the future of the global UAV and UAM industries and agreed to explore cooperation in a wide range of areas, including product manufacturing, joint research and development, technology validation, flight testing, academic collaboration, workforce development, and international market expansion.

The visit marked an important step toward establishing a practical Korea–U.S. cooperation framework connecting FineVT’s defense and unmanned-systems technologies with North Dakota’s internationally recognized UAS ecosystem.

FineVT Robotics LAB: Integrated Unmanned Systems and Defense Technologies

FineVT Robotics LAB conducts research, development, system integration, testing, and commercialization across multiple unmanned and autonomous-system domains, including:

• Fixed-wing and VTOL UAV platforms
• Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance UAVs
• Urban and Advanced Air Mobility technologies
• UAV Traffic Management and mission-control systems
• Unmanned Ground Vehicles and multi-domain robotic systems
• AI-based autonomous flight and mission management
• Counter-UAS and electronic warfare technologies
• Secure command-and-control and resilient data-link systems
• Anti-jamming and GNSS spoofing-countermeasure technologies
• Quantum-security technologies incorporating PQC, QRNG, and QKD
• ROS 2 and DDS-based interoperability for MUM-T and C4ISR integration
• AI-based simulation, digital twins, and LVC training environments

FineVT’s technology strategy is focused on developing integrated operational solutions rather than standalone aircraft. Its approach combines unmanned platforms, AI-based autonomy, mission payloads, communications, cybersecurity, command and control, electronic warfare, and operational testing within a unified architecture.

Leadership of Research Director Sejin Oh

The meeting and cooperative discussions were led on behalf of FineVT Robotics LAB by Sejin Oh, Research Director of FineVT Robotics LAB.

Research Director Oh oversees the laboratory’s research strategy and international cooperation activities in UAV, UAM, Counter-UAS, electronic warfare, MUM-T, AI simulation, and quantum-secure communications. He also serves as Cyber Director of the Korea Defense & Security Forum and Deputy Director of the Drone-vs-Drone Center at the Ground Forces Research Institute of the Korea Army Association.

Based on his experience in defense technology development, combat experimentation, international partnerships, and overseas market-entry strategy, Research Director Oh is promoting a cooperation model that connects Korean platform and systems-integration capabilities with the United States’ flight-test infrastructure, regulatory expertise, research institutions, and defense-technology ecosystem.

“North Dakota possesses one of the most advanced UAS ecosystems in the United States. By combining North Dakota’s testing, research, and commercialization infrastructure with FineVT’s UAV, autonomous-flight, secure communications, and defense-system integration capabilities, we aim to establish a practical and sustainable model for Korea–U.S. cooperation,” said Sejin Oh, Research Director of FineVT Robotics LAB.

North Dakota has developed a comprehensive UAS ecosystem encompassing education, training, research, commercialization, public-sector applications, and military cooperation. Partnerships among state government, universities, test organizations, and private companies have positioned the state as a major center for autonomous aviation in the United States.

Key elements of this ecosystem include the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, an FAA-designated test site supporting airspace access, regulatory coordination, flight testing, UAS research, and advanced Counter-UAS-related activities.

North Dakota is also home to GrandSKY, a commercial UAS business and aviation park located at Grand Forks Air Force Base. Its infrastructure supports large-UAS testing and beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight operations in cooperation with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site.

Another major asset is Vantis, North Dakota’s statewide UAS network designed to enable safe and scalable beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. The network supports the expansion of UAS applications in transportation, infrastructure inspection, agriculture, energy, emergency response, and other public and commercial sectors.

FineVT and its potential North Dakota partners intend to examine how these capabilities can support the testing, validation, localization, and commercialization of next-generation Korean UAV and UAM technologies in the United States.

Proposed Areas of Korea–U.S. Cooperation

1. Joint UAV Manufacturing and Supply-Chain Development

FineVT will explore opportunities to establish a cooperative manufacturing and supply-chain model involving Korean and North Dakota companies.

Potential areas include aircraft production, airframe and propulsion components, flight-control systems, mission payloads, ground-control stations, secure communication modules, maintenance equipment, and lifecycle-support services.

The two sides may also examine localized assembly, component sourcing, maintenance, repair, and overhaul capabilities to support future entry into the U.S. public-safety, industrial, infrastructure, and defense markets.

2. Joint Research, Development, and Technology Demonstration

FineVT plans to pursue joint R&D opportunities with North Dakota companies, universities, and specialized UAS organizations.

Priority research areas may include:

• AI-based autonomous flight and mission planning
• BVLOS operational technologies
• Detect-and-avoid and airspace situational-awareness systems
• UTM and command-and-control interoperability
• GNSS-denied navigation and positioning
• Anti-jamming and spoofing-countermeasure technologies
• Secure and resilient UAV data links
• Multi-UAV and multi-domain collaborative operations
• AI-enabled ISR and sensor-data fusion
• Counter-UAS detection, tracking, identification, and response
• Digital twins and simulation-based operational validation
• Cold-weather and severe-environment UAV operations

Joint technology demonstrations may be conducted to verify flight safety, interoperability, communications performance, autonomous mission execution, and operational suitability under realistic conditions.

3. Flight Testing and BVLOS Operational Validation

North Dakota’s airspace, test facilities, regulatory experience, and statewide UAS infrastructure provide significant opportunities for advanced flight testing.

FineVT intends to explore cooperation involving:

• Fixed-wing and VTOL UAV flight testing
• Long-endurance ISR mission demonstrations
• BVLOS flight trials
• Secure command-and-control link testing
• Multi-sensor payload evaluation
• Autonomous route planning and emergency procedures
• Detect-and-avoid validation
• UTM integration
• Severe-weather and cold-region performance assessment
• Defense and public-safety mission demonstrations

The resulting flight-test data and operational references could support product improvement, regulatory preparation, technical certification, and future commercialization in both the United States and the Republic of Korea.

Blue UAS-Aligned Cooperation and U.S. Market Entry

FineVT and potential U.S. partners will also explore a phased strategy aligned with the cybersecurity, supply-chain, and performance expectations associated with the U.S. Department of Defense’s Blue UAS ecosystem.

The Blue UAS Cleared List consists of UAS that have undergone relevant security and performance assessments and meet applicable U.S. statutory and policy requirements for government use. Responsibility for the list transitioned from the Defense Innovation Unit to the Defense Contract Management Agency in late 2025.

FineVT’s proposed Blue UAS-aligned cooperation may include:

• Cybersecurity architecture assessment
• Software and firmware security evaluation
• Secure boot and trusted-update mechanisms
• Data-at-rest and data-in-transit protection
• Command-and-control link security
• Component and supply-chain traceability
• Country-of-origin and sourcing analysis
• Vulnerability testing and remediation
• Modular open-systems architecture
• Interoperability with U.S.-developed payloads and control systems
• Preparation for operational testing and government procurement pathways
• Collaboration with qualified U.S. manufacturers and technology partners

This cooperation is intended to identify the technical, regulatory, cybersecurity, and supply-chain requirements necessary for FineVT platforms and subsystems to pursue future participation in trusted U.S. government and defense UAS programs.

FineVT has not represented this initiative as existing Blue UAS certification. Rather, it is a strategic cooperation pathway intended to support future evaluation, compliance preparation, U.S. localization, and potential market entry.

Academic Collaboration and Workforce Development

The two sides also discussed the importance of connecting industrial cooperation with academic research and specialized workforce development.

Potential programs may include:

• Joint university–industry research projects
• Researcher and engineer exchange programs
• Student internships and field-training opportunities
• UAV operation and maintenance education
• AI, robotics, cybersecurity, and autonomy curricula
• Joint seminars, workshops, and technical conferences
• Flight-test and regulatory training
• Joint publications and technology demonstrations
• Startup acceleration and technology commercialization

These programs could help cultivate professionals capable of supporting future UAV, UAM, autonomous-system, and defense-technology cooperation between Korea and the United States.

Expanding Cooperation in Defense and Public-Sector Missions

FineVT Robotics LAB will seek to apply the partnership not only to commercial UAV and UAM applications but also to defense, border security, public safety, disaster response, infrastructure protection, and environmental-monitoring missions.

FineVT’s secure communications, autonomous flight, ISR, Counter-UAS, electronic warfare, and resilient-navigation technologies may be combined with North Dakota’s testing infrastructure and operational expertise to demonstrate mission-oriented solutions for U.S. and allied requirements.

Possible applications include:

• Persistent ISR and border surveillance
• Critical-infrastructure inspection and protection
• Search and rescue
• Wildfire and disaster monitoring
• Emergency communications
• Agricultural and environmental observation
• Logistics and cargo transportation
• Counter-UAS training and evaluation
• GNSS-denied mission operations
• Manned–unmanned teaming
• Multi-domain command-and-control integration

Building a Sustainable Korea–U.S. Partnership

FineVT Robotics LAB is fully committed to supporting the successful advancement of Korea–U.S. cooperation in both the defense and industrial sectors.

Moving forward, FineVT will continue discussions with the State of North Dakota, research institutions, universities, test organizations, and industry partners to develop concrete cooperative projects. These efforts may include joint feasibility studies, research agreements, flight demonstrations, technology-validation programs, manufacturing partnerships, and international commercialization initiatives.

By connecting Korea’s advanced unmanned-system technologies with North Dakota’s UAS infrastructure and expertise, FineVT aims to establish a long-term partnership that contributes to technological innovation, trusted supply chains, industrial growth, and the security of both nations.

#FineVT #FineVTRoboticsLAB #SejinOh #USA #ROK #KoreaUSCooperation #NorthDakota #UAV #UAM #UTM #UGV #BlueUAS #BVLOS #GrandSKY #Vantis #NPUASTS #AutonomousSystems #DefenseTechnology #CounterUAS #C4ISR #SecureDatalink #QuantumSecurity #RnD