FutureFlight
Vela Alpha eVTOL Could Be Indonesia's First New Civil Aircraft in Decades
Vela Prima Nusantara is developing a piloted, four-passenger eVTOL aircraft called the Vela Alpha, which it intends to have certified and in service in Asia and North America in 2028.
A subscale model of the Vela Alpha eVTOL aircraft on display at the Singapore Airshow
Vela revealed a subscale model of its Alpha eVTOL aircraft during the 2024 Singapore Airshow. (Photo: Hanneke Weitering/AIN)

Although Southeast Asia’s nascent advanced air mobility industry is picking up steam, it’s mostly Western eVTOL aircraft developers that have so far announced plans to launch commercial air taxi services in the region. Now an Indonesian company is throwing its hat in the ring with plans for a four-passenger model that could be the country's first new civil aircraft to enter service in the 21st century.

Headquartered in the West Java capital of Bandung, Vela Prima Nusantara is developing a piloted eVTOL aircraft called the Vela Alpha, which it aims to have certified and in service in Asia and North America in 2028. The company plans to produce battery-electric and hybrid-electric versions of the vehicle, which it is offering for air taxi services and aerial sightseeing tours, as well as cargo, surveillance, and medevac applications.