Hyundai's Flying Taxi Coming to Indonesia: Test Flights in July

Hyundai's flying taxi, which is planned to operate in Indonesia’s new capital city, Nusantara (IKN), is scheduled to begin test flights this month. The Ministry of Transportation has issued guidelines for operators to ensure that the tests are carried out smoothly.

The Transportation Ministry has approved the test flights of Hyundai’s flying taxi. However, the tests mustn't disrupt the air routes of crewed aircraft.

Statement by the Secretary

“The operators, or any provider, must ensure that the airspace used for the flying taxis does not intersect with the airspace for crewed aircraft,” said Sigit Hani Hadiyanto, Secretary of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, at the Ministry last Tuesday.

This restriction is necessary because flying taxis, which are fundamentally classified as uncrewed aerial vehicles or urban air mobility (UAM) devices, operate differently from conventional aircraft. Therefore, their flight mechanisms must remain segregated from those of traditional aircraft.

“Currently, the policy requires that any unmanned aerial vehicle, UAM, drone, or flying taxi must operate in segregated airspace,” explained Hadiyanto. He further noted that regulations surrounding UAM are still under debate globally. Many countries and relevant authorities are continuing to conduct further studies on the operational aspects of flying taxis.

“The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is still conducting studies on this matter. We are also referring to their findings,” he added.

Additionally, Sigit mentioned that using flying taxis in IKN would require operational permits, like other uncrewed aircraft, and cannot be conducted in any airspace without proper authorization. Therefore, he emphasized the need for operators to coordinate effectively with local airports and navigation service providers to avoid airspace conflicts. “Permissions will be granted if all requirements and safety assessments are met,” said Sigit.

The flying taxi model projected for IKN is the Hyundai Supernal eVTOL S-A2. Here are the specifications:

•    Design: V-tail aircraft

•    Speed: 120 mph (193 km/h)

•    Altitude: 1,500 feet

•    Range: 25 to 40 miles (40 to 64 km)

•    Propulsion: Distributed electric propulsion with eight tilting rotors

•    Noise Level: 65 dB during vertical take-off and landing, 45 dB in horizontal flight

•    Capacity: Hyundai’s air taxi can carry up to five people, including a pilot.