From Flying Taxis To Autonomous Rail Transit, Indonesia's New Capital Nusantara Is Deploying Futuristic Transport Technology

The Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN) concluded a successful trial of a flying taxi in an area close to the greenfield city, which is soon set to be Indonesia's new capital .

The optionally piloted personal/passenger air vehicle (OPPAV) flew for about 10 minutes at an altitude of 50m reaching a speed of 50 kmph. The OPPAV flew in a figure-8 pattern for 10 minutes in a predestined route while carrying a maximum of 100 kilograms.

The flying taxi is based on an integrated advanced air mobility (AAM) technology and developed by leading automobile behemoth Hyundai in collaboration with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).  Hyundai is planning to continue research and development to commercialise AAM by 2028

The flying taxi prototype was tested at Aji Pangeran Tumenggung Airport in Samarinda, East Kalimantan. The city is located three hours by car from Nusantara.

The flying taxi is designed to reach a peak speed of 200 mph and hold four people, including the pilot. It can be electronically controlled but will be pilot-operated for now.

OIKN's Deputy for Green and Digital Transformation Mohamed Ali Berawi said that the trial is the first step in realising efficient and environment-friendly urban air transportation in Indonesia.

"This is proof of Indonesia’s commitment to developing future transportation technology," he added.

With an expansive land area covering over 18,000 islands, Indonesia holds high growth potential for the air taxi business. The need for aerial modes of transport is also driven by the difficulty in developing road transportation.

PT Dirgantara Indonesia, a state-owned enterprise, is expected to develop an OPPAV prototype for mass production.

Autonomous Rail Transit (ART)

The Indonesian government is also collaborating with Chinese state-owned enterprises CRRC Zhuzhou Institute Co. Ltd. and Norinco to deploy an Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) train in Nusantara.

A physical test of the trackless Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) train in Nusantara was recently conducted.

ART is proposed as a new alternative for mass transportation services to reduce congestion in Indonesia's urban regions.

The infrastructure cost of developing and deploying ART is significantly lower than other mass transportation options in Indonesia, such as mass rapid transit (MRT), light rail transit (LRT), and high-speed trains.

ART utilises a technology known as a “virtual track control system” so that the vehicle runs along a virtual track. This virtual track can be adjusted according to the road conditions and the surrounding traffic. It can maneuver through traffic like a bus.

Similar to other modern rail and mass transit vehicles, ART’s operational top speed is set at 70 kmph. However, as it does not rely on physical rails, the completion time of a route is less than a year, vastly improving the lead time from concept to completion.

ART is set to serve as feeder transportation to bus stops and can emerge as an icon of transportation in Indonesia's capital city Nusantara, the country's Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi recently said.

"With the advantage of being trackless, it can also be used in cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, and other cities," he added.

About Nusantara

Nusantara is scheduled to hold its first-ever Indonesia Independence Day celebration on 17 August, which is also expected to be the official transfer of the capital city from Jakarta, about 1200 km away.

The new Indonesian capital has slowly taken shape in the hills of East Kalimantan Jakarta after the government decided to move from traffic-clogged and sinking Jakarta.

Earlier this week, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo began working from the presidential palace (Garuda) in his country’s new capital expressing satisfaction at the progress on the $32 billion project.

The project has been beset by delays over funding and land acquisition.