This photo provided by Hyundai Motor Co. shows the Ioniq 9 Seed Ball Drone Station, the automaker’s special drone-based forest restoration project vehicle. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 17 (Korea Bizwire) — On a breezy summer morning, deep in the rugged hills of Uljin County—an area scorched by South Korea’s devastating wildfires in 2022—a futuristic electric SUV stands poised for a mission of renewal. But this is no ordinary off-roader. It’s Hyundai Motor Company’s Ioniq 9 Seed Ball Drone Station: a mobile reforestation lab on wheels, ready to take on one of nature’s toughest recoveries from the sky.
At first glance, the vehicle bears all the sleek curves and quiet poise of Hyundai’s flagship electric SUV. But open its rear cabin, and it reveals a high-tech control hub outfitted with swivel seats, dual monitors, and a dedicated drone control system. Nearby, a flat drone launchpad gleams under the sun, awaiting lift-off.
This isn’t science fiction—it’s Hyundai’s newest bet on green innovation. Developed in collaboration with forest recovery startup Guru E&T, the Ioniq 9 Seed Ball Drone Station is designed to distribute “seed balls”—small clay spheres packed with native seeds, soil, and nutrients—across rugged forest terrain unreachable by foot or traditional equipment.
Mounted with a powerful drone system, the vehicle serves as both command center and launch site. The drones fly into fire-ravaged zones and gently release their eco-friendly payloads, a method that minimizes ecological disturbance while accelerating reforestation efforts. It’s aerial rewilding, made mobile.
“Our mission has expanded from passive forest monitoring to active ecological recovery,” Hyundai said in a statement. “This vehicle symbolizes our vision of sustainability fused with cutting-edge mobility.”
The Seed Ball Drone Station marks the next chapter in Hyundai’s broader Smart Forest Restoration Program, a multi-year effort co-led by the Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute and tree-planting social enterprise Tree Planet. With its robust off-road capabilities and vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging tech, the Ioniq 9 can operate far from power grids—exactly where South Korea’s wounded forests need the most help.
In Uljin, the first deployment site, Hyundai’s drone station will play a vital role in restoring biodiversity across the fire-scarred eastern coastline. For communities still healing from the trauma of lost homes and blackened hillsides, it’s a hopeful sign: a vehicle designed not to consume the earth, but to help it grow back.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
