Jakarta (VNA) - The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation has announced that flying taxis manufactured by Hyundai of the Republic of Korea (RoK) will be tested in the country’s new capital Nusantara this month after Indonesia issues relevant instructions.
Secretary of the ministry’s Directorate General of Air Transportation Sigit Hani Hadiyanto said that the agency has approved a plan to test flying taxis at the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) as long as they did not interfere with commercial flight airspace.
The regulation is necessary because the flight mechanism of flying taxis, especially classified as unmanned aerial vehicles or urban air mobility (UAM), is separate with conventional aircraft air space, he explained.
According to Sigit, further studies of flying taxi operations still need to be carried out because the concept is also one thing that is still being observed around the world.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation is also still conducting studies on this matter, Hadiyanto added.
Currently, Indonesian authorities are closely monitoring and regularly updating information related to flying taxi operations, he noted, stressing that the use of flying taxis at IKN will also require operational permits because this is similar to the use of unmanned aircraft which also require permission and cannot be done in any airspace.
He called for readiness from operators to coordinate effectively with the local airport and navigation service providers to avoid airspace interference./.
