Indonesian electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Vela is progressing with development work for its Alpha vehicle.
During 2024 the company completed its one-third-subscale model, and the vehicle has already flown 30h, according to Kevin Phang, Vela’s director of programme and operations.
FlightGlobal spoke with Phang at the recent Bali air show, where the company displayed the subscale model – which the company designates simply as the Greek letter “α” – in the static park.
“We’re coordinating with a local authority here to set up a base of operations together, where we create the infrastructure as a model of what it will be later,” says Phang.
This will involve building a vertiport with a charging station near Jakarta, from which urban air traffic management can be explored. The subscale model will eventually conduct flight tests from that location.
Phang adds that Vela has had discussions with local authorities, who are committed to developing the infrastructure for urban air mobility.
The company, which employs 63 engineers, is building its first technology demonstrator, an unmanned platform that will have its first flight by the end of 2025.
“We want to build it really fast and at low cost, so that we can get proof of concept, and do marketing with it to attract potential partners.”
Phang says that windtunnel tests have confirmed the Alpha’s configuration, and any changes will be minor. Similar to Eve’s eVTOL design, the Alpha features eight electric motors for vertical lift and a single pusher-propeller for forward flight.
“Everything is pretty much set and ready for certification later on,” says Phang.
“We’re working with the [Directorate General of Civil Aviation] for certification, and we’ve signed a framework agreement with Indonesian Aerospace to fully commit our development and also scale up our production capability within Indonesia itself.”
Phang anticipates operations with the Alpha will commence in 2029 or 2030, and that there will be demand for 700 aircraft within the first three to four years of operations. Indonesia will be the launch country, but Vela is also targeting international certification, specifically by the US Federal Aviation Administration.
Vela has received 120 letters of intent for the Alpha since the Singapore air show in February. At the Bali show Vela signed a letter of intent with SGI Air Bali, which provides helicopter transfer services on the resort island, which is notorious for traffic congestion.
