Interview with Lee Chi-heon, CEO of ALUX
Drone Revenue Soars from KRW 1 Billion in 2022 to KRW 13 Billion This Year
Benefiting from U.S.-China Tensions, Emerging as a Key Alternative to Chinese Drones
Lee Chi-heon, CEO of ALUX (475580), a Drone and Robotics Specialist, Expresses Confidence:
“Our drone export strategy for the North American market has entered a full-fledged growth trajectory.”
ALUX began its lightweight drone business in late 2019, launching its first product in 2022 and entering the export market. Within just two years of market entry, the company secured over $5 million USD (approximately KRW 7.16 billion) in export contracts with the U.S. and Japan, and has since sold more than 150,000 units.
Drone product revenue has surged—from KRW 1 billion in 2022 to KRW 5 billion last year, and an expected KRW 13 billion this year. ALUX’s growth has been driven by a unique strategy: simultaneously targeting the education market. Although a latecomer to the educational robotics business, ALUX launched its educational robot line in 2016 and quickly rose to leadership within three years by training instructors who could teach not just coding but full operational programming for its robots. The company plans to use the same strategy to aggressively expand its drone market.
CEO Lee said, “We’ve partnered with a company in the U.S. that trains drone instructors and are adapting our domestic educational content for the American market. Initially, we targeted the educational sector, but as our brand value grows, we’re now receiving requests for commercial drone applications.”
The U.S.-China conflict has also bolstered ALUX’s momentum. As the U.S. moves to replace Chinese-made drones due to national security concerns, Korean products are gaining increased attention. Since 2021, the U.S. has added Chinese drone companies to its investment blacklist and passed legislation banning imports and usage in communication infrastructure. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to increase tariffs on China, intensifying the shift away from Chinese tech.
Because ALUX develops its own Flight Controller (FC)—the "brain" of the drone—it has a significant cost advantage in production. Moreover, by manufacturing domestically rather than overseas, the company reduces its defect rates and maintains quality control.
Lee stated, “ALUX owns 33 intellectual property rights, but we don’t plan to patent the FC to prevent technology leaks. We’re keeping it confidential.” He added, “We’ve already exported $5 million worth this year alone, and with an export pricing rate based on a favorable KRW/USD exchange of 1,100, we also expect unexpected currency gains.”
Last month, ALUX was successfully listed on the KOSDAQ. The capital raised is being used to establish sales subsidiaries in North America and Japan, and the company is also exploring M&A opportunities to expand business and technological capabilities. Additionally, ALUX is preparing to enter the home security drone market in North America—especially in regions with many standalone homes—where drones are dubbed “flying CCTV.”
Lee emphasized, “Building on our accumulated lightweight drone technology and deep expertise, we plan to expand our business scope into various categories including entertainment, aerial photography, and security.”
Interview with Lee Chi-heon, CEO of ALUX
Drone Revenue Soars from KRW 1 Billion in 2022 to KRW 13 Billion This Year
Benefiting from U.S.-China Tensions, Emerging as a Key Alternative to Chinese Drones
Lee Chi-heon, CEO of ALUX (475580), a Drone and Robotics Specialist, Expresses Confidence:
“Our drone export strategy for the North American market has entered a full-fledged growth trajectory.”
ALUX began its lightweight drone business in late 2019, launching its first product in 2022 and entering the export market. Within just two years of market entry, the company secured over $5 million USD (approximately KRW 7.16 billion) in export contracts with the U.S. and Japan, and has since sold more than 150,000 units.
Drone product revenue has surged—from KRW 1 billion in 2022 to KRW 5 billion last year, and an expected KRW 13 billion this year. ALUX’s growth has been driven by a unique strategy: simultaneously targeting the education market. Although a latecomer to the educational robotics business, ALUX launched its educational robot line in 2016 and quickly rose to leadership within three years by training instructors who could teach not just coding but full operational programming for its robots. The company plans to use the same strategy to aggressively expand its drone market.
CEO Lee said, “We’ve partnered with a company in the U.S. that trains drone instructors and are adapting our domestic educational content for the American market. Initially, we targeted the educational sector, but as our brand value grows, we’re now receiving requests for commercial drone applications.”
The U.S.-China conflict has also bolstered ALUX’s momentum. As the U.S. moves to replace Chinese-made drones due to national security concerns, Korean products are gaining increased attention. Since 2021, the U.S. has added Chinese drone companies to its investment blacklist and passed legislation banning imports and usage in communication infrastructure. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to increase tariffs on China, intensifying the shift away from Chinese tech.
Because ALUX develops its own Flight Controller (FC)—the "brain" of the drone—it has a significant cost advantage in production. Moreover, by manufacturing domestically rather than overseas, the company reduces its defect rates and maintains quality control.
Lee stated, “ALUX owns 33 intellectual property rights, but we don’t plan to patent the FC to prevent technology leaks. We’re keeping it confidential.” He added, “We’ve already exported $5 million worth this year alone, and with an export pricing rate based on a favorable KRW/USD exchange of 1,100, we also expect unexpected currency gains.”
Last month, ALUX was successfully listed on the KOSDAQ. The capital raised is being used to establish sales subsidiaries in North America and Japan, and the company is also exploring M&A opportunities to expand business and technological capabilities. Additionally, ALUX is preparing to enter the home security drone market in North America—especially in regions with many standalone homes—where drones are dubbed “flying CCTV.”
Lee emphasized, “Building on our accumulated lightweight drone technology and deep expertise, we plan to expand our business scope into various categories including entertainment, aerial photography, and security.”