Indonesian helicopter operator Whitesky Aviation has placed a provisional order for up to 30 of SkyDrive’s SD-05 three-seat eVTOL aircraft. The Japanese manufacturer announced the deal as part of a partnership agreement on August 21.
Both companies said they will start planning eVTOL air-taxi services in and around the country’s capital, Jakarta, as well as in support of mining industry operations. Flights could operate out of the Cengkareng heliport, which is owned by Whitesky, and also Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (WIII).
Initially, operations are expected to start with sightseeing flights close to Jakarta in 2028. SkyDrive has received its G-1 certification basis from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau and in July raised $57 million through a pre-Series D funding round backed by two railway companies and Suzuki Motor Corp. It already has other partnerships in progress with partners in the U.S., the Middle East, and other parts of Asia.
In addition to helicopters, Whitesky, which was founded in 2010, also has a jet management and charter division. Its plans for a Jakarta-area air-taxi network cover the heavily congested city’s Fairmont Jakarta Hotel, the Plaza Office Tower, BSD City, District 8, and Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport (WIHH).