Posco unveils lightweight steel pad for vertiports

Posco said Thursday that it has introduced a lightweight steel takeoff and landing pad, specifically designed for vertiports on buildings.

This new vertiport landing pad is constructed from a foam deck formed by thinly shaped steel plates, making it over 60 percent lighter than traditional landing pads while still offering superior rigidity, corrosion resistance and usability, according to the company.

In June, Posco's landing pad underwent rigorous testing during Lotte E&C's urban air mobility demonstration project at an aviation center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. Throughout repeated helicopter takeoffs and landings, the pad demonstrated its high strength as well as its effectiveness in reducing noise and vibration.

Additionally, the pad features a modular design, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly without concrete pouring, making construction fast and relocation simple.

During Lotte E&C's UAM demonstration project, Posco completed the installation in only eight hours with a team of three workers and one forklift, with disassembly taking just two hours.

In terms of cost, Posco's landing pad also proves to be more economical than aluminum pads. While matching aluminum pads in terms of weight, strength and corrosion resistance, the metal landing pad is priced at half the cost.

"Posco's vertiport landing pad is highly competitive in terms of cost and construction efficiency compared to those made from materials like aluminum," a Posco official said.

"We will continue to develop lightweight steel materials and structural technologies specialized for UAM infrastructure, including vertiports, to lead the future infrastructure market."

In 2023, Posco signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Airports Corporation and Hanwha Corporation E&C Division for the joint development of UAM vertiports. The three companies plan to present their research findings and display a steel vertiport model at the International Vertiport Forum during the World Smart City Expo 2024, scheduled for Sept. 3.