Whitesky Aviation and AutoFlight Build Indonesian eVTOL Ecosystem, 10-Year Financing Scheme Achieves Potential of IDR 7.8 Trillion

JAKARTA - Indonesia takes a new step towards the development of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry through the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) between Whitesky Aviation and AutoFlight at Cengkareng Heliport, Tangerang.

The signing of the LOI was carried out by Ari Nurwanda, Chief Commercial Officer of Whitesky Group, and Jia Xie, Senior Vice President of AutoFlight, representing both companies in strengthening the development of the eVTOL ecosystem in Indonesia.

This cooperation paves the way for the development of passenger eVTOL operations in Indonesia, while building the industry foundation needed for the technology to grow as part of the national transportation system.

The LOI covers 60 units of AutoFlight V2000EM Prosperity aircraft, with a cumulative potential of up to CNY 1 billion or approximately IDR 2.7 trillion if all stages are realized according to the agreement of the parties. This value reflects the scale of potential development and not the value of the transaction that has been fully realized at the time the LOI was signed.

The founder of the Whitesky Group, Denon Prawiraatmadja, sees the development of eVTOL as an opportunity for Indonesia to build new capabilities in the aviation sector.

"If this technology enters Indonesia, its value must be greater than just the aircraft that operates. We need to build its infrastructure, human competence, safety standards, maintenance capabilities, and ensure that the domestic industry grows together," said Denon Prawiraatmadja, in a statement, Wednesday, August 12.

Therefore, the cooperation between Whitesky Aviation and AutoFlight is designed to go beyond fleet procurement. Both companies will develop certification readiness, aircraft operations, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), pilot and technician training, safety standards, regulatory readiness, and the development of vertiports which are prerequisites for commercial eVTOL operations.

Whitesky also plans to develop a network of helipads planned in various regions of Indonesia into a gradually vertiport infrastructure.

The existence of this network is strategic for island countries such as Indonesia, where the need for connectivity is not only in big cities but also spread across industrial areas, tourism centers, airports, business areas, and inter-islands.

The joint development of AutoFlight is part of a broader roadmap. Whitesky currently has a pipeline of up to 152 eVTOL units, consisting of 122 units from Chinese manufacturers and 30 units from Japan.

In the long-term financing and development scheme of up to 10 years, Whitesky estimates that the total potential value of the eVTOL ecosystem development can reach around IDR 7.8 trillion. This value is an estimate based on the business development stages and does not represent all transactions that have been realized at this time.

Whitesky Group also sees an opportunity to bring together the growth of electric aviation with the strength of other industries that are developing in Indonesia, including the battery ecosystem and the potential for long-term collaboration with CATL in Karawang.

For Denon, Indonesia's ability to connect these sectors will determine how much value can be maintained domestically.

"The future of the industry is not built by being the last buyer in a value chain. Indonesia must be in that chain - as an operator, infrastructure developer, place of talent development, and global industry partner," he explained.

The collaboration between Whitesky Aviation and AutoFlight is one of the steps to form the foundation and strengthen Indonesia's position in the development of Advanced Air Mobility in the Asia-Pacific region.