Pyeongtaek’s 2026 Drone City Project: How AI is Revolutionizing Semiconductor Safety Management

Selected for the Drone Pilot City public-service competition — Launching an AI-based industrial facility inspection system; Preemptive safety-management trial in the semiconductor cluster

Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province has been selected in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s 2026 Drone Pilot City Establishment Project, winning the public-service category.

Given the concentration of semiconductor industrial complexes in the area, the city will pilot a safety-management system for industrial facilities that combines drones and artificial intelligence (AI). The goal is to prevent workplace accidents and raise overall urban safety standards.

The national competition supports local governments in developing and testing drone-use models tailored to regional needs and in accelerating commercialization.

With this selection, Pyeongtaek will invest a total of ₩320 million (about $240,000), including ₩270 million (about $202,500) in central government funding, to begin building an innovative safety-management model for industrial facilities.

The project will be carried out as a consortium led by Pyeongtaek City, with partners including Ninano, Roas, the Korea Drone Companies Association, and global semiconductor firms — five organizations in total. The demonstration area is the Pyeongtaek semiconductor cluster in the Godeok Internationalization District’s general industrial complex, which hosts semiconductor production hubs and three affiliated gas companies.

Key components include drone-based inspections of pipelines and equipment; ultrasonic sensor–based anomaly detection; AI video and data analysis to automatically classify risk levels; a WEB GIS–based integrated safety-management dashboard; and a real-time alert and response system.

The initiative focuses on using drones to inspect high‑risk facilities that are difficult for personnel to access. AI analysis will be delivered in stages to support a proactive safety-management approach.

Pyeongtaek will also run simulations that reflect local weather patterns. Officials plan to pre-analyze dispersion ranges and hazard radii under various weather scenarios to sharpen response protocols. Inspection-derived risk data will be displayed on a dashboard and shared with relevant agencies.

The project will follow phased validation — preliminary testing, demonstration in the proposed area, and expanded demonstration — and will run through November 2026. The city aims to establish a one-stop safety-management system that integrates drone flight data and inspection records, strengthening interagency collaboration.

The effort aligns with Pyeongtaek’s industrial policy. Because the area hosts clusters of semiconductor and advanced-industry facilities, safety standards are directly linked to industrial competitiveness.

Based on demonstration results, Pyeongtaek plans to expand the AI‑drone safety-management system incrementally to major industrial and public facilities, including a hydrogen complex.

\”Pyeongtaek is a key hub of South Korea’s semiconductor industry,\” a Pyeongtaek official said. \”Through this project, we will establish a proactive safety-management system using AI and drones to reduce risks at industrial sites and create a safer city environment for residents.\”

Pyeongtaek = Reporter Ha Jeong-ho jhha999@viva100.com