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There is a man obsessed with RAY. He blocks drone (unmanned aerial vehicle) attacks with a laser and chases away birds that cause aircraft accidents. He also uses lasers for communication between thousands of islands. This is the story of Shin Woo-jin, the CEO of Lumenix.
On the 9th, at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, CEO Shin said, “When a drone takes off, it can be shot down with a laser,” adding, “The laser will be a game changer in modern warfare.”
In 2019, CEO Shin founded Lumenix, a laser specialist company, with support from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology. Lumenix is named after the Latin word for light, lumen. The company is developing technology and equipment to block drone attacks, supplying them to domestic corporations.
◇Drones changing the battlefield are blocked by lasers
Drones have appeared in the Russia-Ukraine war and the Armenia-Azerbaijan war. They use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and strike adversaries or self-destruct, devastating oil and refining facilities. CEO Shin indicated that preparing for drone attacks is more critical than anything for national security. According to market research firm President Research, the global drone defense market is expected to grow from $1.4 billion (2.4 trillion won) in 2021 to $12.6 billion (18.4 trillion won) by 2030.
CEO Shin identified lasers as the next-generation defense system against drones. Lasers are phenomena in which light of a single wavelength travels in a straight line. Just like concentrating sunlight through a magnifying glass to burn paper, energy can be concentrated in one place. When a drone flies in, it can be shot with a laser to ignite its engine or equipment.
Laser generation devices can be attached to tactical vehicles or firearms. They can be fired indefinitely as long as power is supplied. They are also less expensive than missiles. Additionally, since they do not use ammunition, the explosion damage is relatively low. They can target only specific objects, making them usable even in densely populated areas like Seoul.
CEO Shin stated, “Because lasers move at the speed of light, they do not give the opponent time to escape,” and noted, “Currently, there is no scientific method to block them 100%, so they can be an effective defensive weapon.”
◇Preventing bird strikes on aircraft and enabling satellite communication
Lumenix's lasers have many applications beyond military purposes. Recently, they have been developing technology to prevent bird strikes at airports using lasers. The principle is to chase birds away with a laser when flocks fly toward aircraft to prevent accidents.
CEO Shin said, “While watching the recent incident at Muan International Airport, the idea of using lasers to drive birds in another direction came to mind,” adding, “Lasers do not create loud noises like guns and do not harm or blind the birds.” Lumenix plans to collaborate with domestic airports.
Lumenix is also developing technology for satellite communication using lasers in space. Laser communication can transfer data faster and in greater amounts than existing wireless radio frequency communication. It is also beneficial for security. Due to the straight-line property of lasers, interference between communications is difficult. Communication between satellites and the ground is also possible.
CEO Shin views areas with many islands, such as Jeollanam-do and Southeast Asia, as places where satellite laser communication technology is needed. He stated, “Southeast Asia has thousands of islands, so technology to connect data for each island is essential,” and noted, “There is a favorable atmosphere for entering the market as Southeast Asia trusts Korean science and technology.”
Lumenix has secured proprietary technology for satellite laser communication in space. Space is a harsh environment, fluctuating between extreme cold and heat, and there are radiation issues. Lumenix possesses optical fiber technology suitable for space, enabling proper temperature maintenance and radiation blocking during laser communication.
They also hold technology capable of shielding against space radiation and vibration reduction technology to accurately fire lasers from satellites. Lumenix has developed a laser transmission and reception optical amplifier module. They plan to create a prototype for satellite laser communication within this year and aim for commercialization next year. Mass production of satellite communication modules and optical ground station products is targeted for 2028.
CEO Shin said, “There are currently no commercialized products for satellite optical communication in Korea, and only some countries such as Germany and the United States have commercialized them,” indicating plans for commercialization with satellite laser communication modules and satellite optical ground stations.