Image: Panoramic view of Indonesia's central government offices in Nusantara. Source: PUPR Permukiman Kaltim (East Kalimantan Public Works and Public Housing Office)
In June 2025, Egis was proud to participate in the official ceremony celebrating the completion of the urban mobility masterplan and intelligent mobility ecosystem for Nusantara, the future capital of Indonesia.*
As work continues to establish Nusantara as a model of sustainability, connectivity, equality, and social inclusion – some of which is being delivered by Egis – we reflect on the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aspects of the project with Egis project director and AAM expert, Hervé Drévillon.
Q: How does Nusantara differ from other projects?
Nusantara gives us a unique landscape for planning AAM services. It is a brand-new city, currently being imagined and developed from the ground up.
Jakarta, the current capital, faces sustainability challenges including overpopulation, congestion, and flood risks. Modelling suggests that up to 95% of Jakarta could be submerged by 2050. In response, the government decided in 2019 to relocate the capital to East Kalimantan, in the Indonesian side of Borneo Island, over 1,000 km away from Jakarta. The development is being overseen by the Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN), guided by the “Nusantara Smart City Blueprint”, which lays out key performance indicators and development principles for the future city.
Q. Is this the ideal setting for developing AAM?
At first glance, planning AAM in a greenfield city may seem ideal for consultants, engineers and urban planners – a blank canvas for innovation. However, the reality is more complex and comes with significant challenges.
AAM requires a highly automated and collaborative environment supported by advanced technologies. They are all prerequisites to make sure AAM can be developed efficiently, securely and safely. Regulatory frameworks are needed, as current drone regulations in Indonesia do not yet accommodate AAM operations. Airspace redesign is also required to create drone-only zones in and around the city, and to separate them from conventional, manned air traffic.
Governance presents another challenge. AAM involves stakeholders from aviation, urban planning, and mobility sectors. These are sectors that have limited existing platforms for collaboration and coordination. For example, a key decision remains for Nusantara: should AAM oversight fall under the public transport authority or an Air Navigation Service Provider?
Q. What forms of AAM are envisioned for Nusantara?
The project envisages new services using both drones and electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft (eVTOLs), electric aircraft able to transport passengers.
AAM offers a wide range of services and has the potential to introduce new ones to urban environments. Small drones are already used for logistics and can support public services such as law enforcement, environmental protection, medical deliveries, and infrastructure inspection. eVTOLs offer potential for emergency medical services, airport shuttles, sightseeing, and cargo transport. However, commercial passenger services via eVTOLs remain a few years away, as none has been approved for commercial flight in Indonesia yet.
In Nusantara, two primary services are proposed: parcel delivery for medical needs and last-mile transport using drones. In the longer term, eVTOLs could also provide air ambulance services between IKN Hospital and Balikpapan Airport, supported by vertiports at both locations. Operations will be enabled by a range of innovative technologies such as automated traffic management, digital ecosystems, sustainable solutions, new aircraft design, and means of communications.
Q. How could this be rolled out?
Changes to regulations governing both country and city will be needed, as well as to airspace and physical and digital infrastructure. Implementation will need to be gradual, in stages. Egis has proposed a four-stage roadmap extending to 2040. The rollout begins with a medical drone delivery corridor, followed by dedicated airspace for drones. This would expand to cover a designated city district, eventually enabling air ambulance and airport shuttle services.
Q. How does AAM align with the city’s objectives?
The mobility masterplan developed by Egis is comprehensive. While all specific technologies were not defined at the outset, the plan integrates various intelligent mobility solutions. Essentially, we explored the future of mobility at Nusantara and how AAM could play a role within it.
The transport system and mobility services developed for Nusantara had to be compatible with the overall objectives of gender equality, disability and social inclusion. They also had to consider adaptation to climate change and private sector participation in infrastructure. These principles form part of OIKN’s vision for Nusantara as a “World-Class City for All”.
The city’s objectives are clearly identified in the Nusantara Smart City Blueprint, supported by measurable KPIs. AAM particularly advances the goal of a connected, active and accessible city. It offers 10-minute travel options to green recreational areas and key facilities and under 50-minute connections between city districts and the airport. AAM also contributes to sustainability targets, supporting the ambition of net-zero emissions by 2045.
From an Egis perspective, this project offered a unique opportunity to integrate AAM with other transport modes and demonstrate the complementarity of our expertise. It also showcased our innovative approach to shaping smart cities and pioneering new forms of flight for the future.
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*The ceremony marked the successful completion and handover of the city’s mobility master plan and intelligent transport system, developed over 15 months by Egis, in collaboration with Otorita Ibu Kota Nusantara (Nusantara Capital Authority, OIKN). Our client is KIAT - Indonesia Australia Partnership for Infrastructure, an initiative of the Australian Government.
Photo: Panoramic view of Indonesia's central government offices in Nusantara. Source: PUPR Permukiman Kaltim (East Kalimantan Public Works and Public Housing Office)
