SerpApi.Org
A South Korean EV innovator has secured three key patents for an air-jet propulsion system to address the loud noise and speed limits of open-propeller flying taxis.
Saean R&D Co., Ltd has expanded its air-jet propulsion technology portfolio by securing patents from the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO).
The goal is to make high-speed urban aircraft quiet enough for city skies. It aims to eliminate the buzzing drone sound of multicopters through micro-vortex and structural jet patents.
The new patents cover three main air-jet technologies for flying vehicles: a core propulsion system, built-in air-guiding vanes, and a vortex-generating jet design.
“Based on a unified air-jet propulsion framework, these patents create an integrated technology platform that addresses key challenges in UAM commercialization, including structural stability, propulsion efficiency, and noise reduction,” the company noted.
Advancing the propulsion system
Driven by global urbanization and road traffic congestion, the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) sector is entering a period of rapid, long-term expansion. According to financial services firm Morgan Stanley, the global UAM market is projected to reach approximately $1.5 trillion (around KRW 2,000 trillion) by 2040.
To capture a competitive stake in this surging industry, the firm is building a proprietary, patent-protected technology ecosystem around its internal air-jet propulsion framework.
Saean R&D’s patent trio addresses the core drawbacks of open-propeller multicopters through an integrated, vortex-controlled jet system. The foundational patent encloses the propulsion system inside an acoustically shielded housing to boost high-speed cruise efficiency and lay the groundwork for inter-city Regional Air Mobility (RAM).
To overcome typical jet propulsion challenges, the second patent uses guiding vanes to streamline intake and exhaust airflow, reducing energy consumption and battery strain. Meanwhile, the third patent generates micro-vortices to prevent aerodynamic stalls during sharp maneuvers while dispersing nozzle exhaust to significantly lower noise in urban environments.
Expanding market
Conventional propellers suffer from severe drag at high speeds and disruptive noise in urban environments. Enclosing the propulsion system inside an insulated housing reduces ambient sound.
Saean aims to establish proprietary industry standards, defend its market share against competitors, and accelerate commercial partnerships across the global aerospace landscape.
The development gives “an expanded portfolio of core air-jet propulsion patents designed to strengthen its competitive position in the next-generation UAM market.”
The company added that “the coordinated patent portfolio is designed to form a robust ‘patent wall’ that makes it more difficult for competitors to design around or replicate the underlying technologies.”
Saean isn’t a starry-eyed startup shooting for the moon without a track record. The South Korea-based firm has spent years quietly building a wide-reaching eco-mobility footprint. They are behind the EXOD electric sports car, midsize WiD-U SUVs, 30-ton heavy tipper trucks, and specialized battery power packs.
Leveraging its expertise in heavy EV transport and battery thermals, Saean is building a foundational platform for quiet, high-speed regional transit.
At present, the UAM industry is slowly transitioning from conceptual flight-testing to real-world commercialization.
As frontrunners in the Western regulatory race, Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation are making progress toward early commercial operations. Joby has advanced into Stage 4 (Type Inspection Authorization) of FAA type certification. Archer became the first to complete Phase 3 of its certification process.
Both companies are leveraging these regulatory milestones alongside the FAA’s eVTOL integration programs to prepare for initial commercial flights.
