Korean Air Partners with Wingbits DePIN for Real-Time Flight Data Infrastructure
Korean Air has entered a strategic research partnership with Wingbits, a Stockholm-based decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) specializing in aviation tracking. The agreement will provide Korean Air's ACROSS air traffic system with real-time ADS-B flight data through Wingbits' token-incentivized global network.
The collaboration marks Wingbits' first major airline partnership, granting Korean Air's R&D division access to flight coverage across Korea's Incheon FIR, North America and Europe. The airline is testing how drones, cargo aircraft and future eVTOL taxis will operate in increasingly crowded airspace.
Wingbits operates a cryptographically secured decentralized network of ADS-B receivers that rewards contributors with tokens for optimal hardware placement. The DePIN startup previously secured $5.6 million in funding led by Bullish Capital in January 2024.
"Aviation fundamentally depends on this data, representing a substantial and profitable market," co-founder Robin Wingårdh stated during Korea Blockchain Week. "Traditional networks were acquired for hundreds of millions without community compensation, while Wingbits properly incentivizes participants to place receivers where they matter most."
The partnership demonstrates how legacy airlines are recognizing the value of decentralized infrastructure for future aviation needs, particularly as advanced air mobility including flying taxis and cargo vehicles requires more robust, low-latency tracking systems.
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