Business · Companies · 2 hrs ago
South Korean startup shifts from air taxis to drone-interceptor aircraft
Airbility is developing drones designed to intercept other drones in South Korea.
The company was founded in 2023 by CEO Ryu Tae-gyu and colleagues, some of whom worked on the T-50 and KF-21 aircraft programs.
Ryu said he had hoped to avoid returning to the defense industry after leaving South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development, partly because its long development and business cycles can challenge startups.
The company had initially planned a two-seat urban air mobility aircraft, often called an air taxi.
It shifted focus as cheap attack drones became a greater threat after the war in Ukraine, while the air-taxi market grew more slowly than expected.
The air-taxi project is now on hold as Airbility works on drone interception.
Airbility is developing drones designed to intercept other drones, after shifting away from its original goal of building a two-seat urban air mobility aircraft.
The startup was founded in 2023 by Tae-gyu Ryu and colleagues.
Ryu said he had not wanted to return to the defense industry after leaving South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development.
The shift came as the threat from low-cost attack drones grew during the war in Ukraine and the urban air mobility market grew more slowly than expected.
- Who
- Airbility, founded by Tae-gyu Ryu and colleagues.
- What
- The startup is developing drones to intercept other drones and has put its two-seat urban air mobility aircraft goal on hold.
- When
- Airbility was founded in 2023; the article was published on October 30, 2026.
- Where
- South Korea.
- Why
- The threat from low-cost attack drones grew during the war in Ukraine, while the urban air mobility market grew more slowly than expected.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ryu said he did not want to return to the defense industry, partly because its development and business cycles were too long for a startup.
Ryu and colleagues founded Airbility.
Airbility put its two-seat urban air mobility aircraft goal on hold and began developing drones to intercept other drones.
- Company
- Airbility
- Founded
- 2023
- Original goal
- Two-seat urban air mobility aircraft
- Current project
- Drones designed to intercept other drones
- CEO
- Tae-gyu Ryu
What people are saying
I didn't want to look at the defense industry again