The Indonesian government will conduct a flying taxi trial before Indonesia's 79th birthday celebration next year, Mohammed Ali Berawi, Deputy for Green and Digital Transformation at the House of Representatives Complex, announced (9/19). The flying taxi concept will be part of the transportation plan to be implemented in the capital.
In this test phase, the Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN) has used the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) to transfer passengers from autonomous vehicles to the flying taxi helipad. This entire system can be accessed through a single application.
Ali also mentioned that OIKN has implemented ITS in various aspects, including autonomous vehicles and electric buses. Although the development of flying taxi transportation is still ongoing, OIKN hopes that the Indonesian workforce can understand this technology and that local companies working with OIKN will improve their ability to master flying taxi technology.
Hyundai Motor Group, the South Korean automotive company that developed the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) concept, also known as flying cars or flying taxis, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nusantara Capital City Authority (IKN) to develop this technology by 2024.
Earlier, the automaker unveiled its flying taxi model, known as S-A1, at the Mobility Exhibition Center event at the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) Transportation Museum in East Jakarta in 2022. The flying taxi model is said to be much quieter than conventional helicopters.
Hyundai first introduced its flying taxi concept at the 2020 Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, United States. The flying taxi concept was maintained in the exhibition at the Transportation Museum at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) in 2022. The vehicle has a design consistent with existing flying taxis in the United States, with a configuration of 4 passenger seats and 1 pilot seat. In addition, the flying taxi has ample storage space for passenger bags.
Technically, the Flying Taxi has a range of up to 100 kilometers and can reach speeds of up to 290 kilometers per hour. One of the outstanding features is that the Flying Taxi is fully electric powered, in line with the green mobility requirements set by the Nusantara Capital Authority (IKN). The battery used in this flying taxi is said to be able to keep the vehicle flying up to an altitude of 1,000 to 2,000 feet above ground level.
Previously, OIKN hoped to introduce autonomous buses in IKN in the next 2-3 years, around 2025-2026. The plan to implement autonomous bus technology in IKN includes both regulatory and operational aspects of the public vehicles.
