Korean Air has partnered with Swedish DePIN startup Wingbits to integrate encrypted, real-time flight-tracking data into its research on advanced air mobility. The move marks Wingbits’ first collaboration with a major airline and signals growing interest in decentralized aviation infrastructure.
Under the agreement, Wingbits will supply ADS-B data to Korean Air’s ACROSS air traffic coordination system, covering Incheon FIR, North America, and Europe. The data will help the airline test how drones, cargo aircraft, and future eVTOL taxis can safely operate in increasingly congested airspace.
Wingbits runs a decentralized network of cryptographically secured ADS-B receivers, incentivizing contributors with tokens for placing hardware in optimal locations. The startup raised $5.6 million in January, led by Bullish Capital, parent company of CoinDesk.
“All aviation relies on this data, yet historically it has been provided for free while major networks were acquired for hundreds of millions with no return to the community,” said co-founder Robin Wingårdh at Korea Blockchain Week.
Wingårdh emphasized that proper incentives drive better coverage:
“When contributors are rewarded, receivers are installed in high-value locations like rooftops and business spaces, delivering over twice the coverage per antenna compared with competitors.”
For Korean Air, the collaboration addresses both current and future aviation needs. Its R&D division is exploring low-latency, secure data applications to support the growing advanced air mobility sector.
“Flying taxis, cargo drones, and other urban air vehicles are coming, and there is currently no infrastructure capable of tracking this combination of aviation and advanced mobility,” Wingårdh added.
The partnership demonstrates the potential for blockchain-backed networks to support the next generation of urban air transportation, bridging crypto-native solutions with mainstream aviation use cases.
Market Snapshot
- Bitcoin (BTC): $112,730. Despite $385M in ETF inflows on September 18–19, momentum has stalled amid profit-taking and cautious sentiment.
- Ethereum (ETH): Near $4,200, down more sharply than BTC despite $260M in ETF inflows, reflecting sensitivity to short-term risk sentiment.
- Gold: Trading at record highs, supported by Fed rate cut expectations, central bank demand, and geopolitical uncertainty.
- S&P 500: Futures were flat, with Dow and S&P 500 contracts down 0.04%, as investors weigh risks at elevated market levels.
