Korean Air, LIG Nex1 join final round as drone tech firm targets IPO in first half
Pablo Air, a Korean artificial intelligence-based swarm technology specializing in urban air mobility, said Wednesday that it has completed the last round of investments ahead of its planned initial public offering, securing a total investment of 107.5 billion won ($75 million).
According to Pablo Air, it received 11 billion won in the pre-IPO bridge, with key industry leaders participating in the final investment round, including Korean Air, LIG Nex1 and IBK Capital.
Pablo Air pointed out that this round of investment has not only secured funding for research and development for advancing and commercializing its AI-based swarm technology, but also bolstered its strategic partnership in the aviation and defense sectors.
Pablo Air has set its eyes on going public within the first half of the year. It will take part in the Drone Show Korea 2026 — slated to be held at the Busan Exhibition & Convention Center from Feb. 25 to 27 — to showcase its latest swarm drone combat system, next-generation inspection drone and a drone light show.
“This round of investment means a lot as it shows that our strategy of establishing the defense sector as a key growth pillar and focusing corporate-wide efforts into it led to an achievement in the market,” said Kim Young-joon, founder and CEO of Pablo Air.
“We expect to see some meaningful sales growth in the defense sector from this year and practical uses of swarm AI technology in various industries. We will make this year into one where we go beyond going public and lay down a bridgehead for going global.”
hwkan@heraldcorp.com
