South Korea's science ministry said Sunday it will allocate 26.9 billion won ($23.2 million) in 2020 to further expand the country's innovative drone capabilities.

Of the total, 13 billion won will be used to secure original technologies, with 6.7 billion won to go drones that make use of 5G and artificial intelligence technologies, the Ministry of Science and ICT said. It said funds will also be set aside for public procurement.

The amount to be spent in the new year is up 94 percent from 13.9 billion won earmarked for this year and reflects the importance Seoul places on drone technology, the ministry said.

On original technology, focus will be on the development of components that can be shared by companies and the setting up of a common operating system. Key technologies being targeted include areas such as precise navigation, data link between machines and tamper-proof security systems. The government aims to inject just under 170.3 billion won to acquire critical drone technology knowhow from 2020 through 2026.

The ministry said in regard to 5G-related technology, emphasis will be placed on beyond visual range and swarming flight systems, as well as coming up with operating systems that can be used on land, in the air and on water.

In addition, from next year till 2024, 45 billion won will be invested in the drone related service industry. The ministry said efforts will be concentrated on taking advantage of data, network and AI to come up with so-called killer services, like using machines to effectively check on vast solar power plants and farmlands, that can fuel demand going forward. (Yonhap)