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Indonesia startup unveils working prototype of flying taxi
Developed over the past two years, Frogs was designed as an alternative mode of transportation for remote areas throughout the country.
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A Frogs air taxi prototype from UMG Idealab. (UMG Idealab website/-)
V
enture capital firm UMG Idealab Indonesia recently unveiled to the public one of its cutting-edge technological investments, a working prototype of an airborne electric taxi called Frogs, designed by a startup firm based in Yogyakarta.
UMG Idealab venture and investment partner Jefry Pratama said the prototype, which was based on a quadcopter drone design, had been completed. The current version of the prototype already featured a fully functional passenger cabin, engine, rotors and a battery as its main power source, he said.
“All that’s left to do is probably a slight revision of the interior, including passenger seats, before the prototype can be showcased at the 2020 Hannover Messe technology exhibition from Apr. 20 to 24 in Germany,” Jefry said last Thursday as quoted by tempo.co.
He went on to say that the overall structure of Frogs was built from a light, but with strong carbon fiber known for its high margin of safety. The prototype also boasted other safety features, such as a failsafe mechanism that allowed the motors within its engine to take over the other should one of them fail midair, he said.
Each and every component of the prototype had already been tested and had fulfilled safety requirements, he said, adding that multiple test flights of the aircraft had gone smoothly, showing that all systems were stable and well-synchronized.
Developed over the past two years, Frogs was designed as an alternative mode of transportation for remote areas throughout the country. The airborne taxi is meant to accommodate cargo and military equipment, as well as assist in emergency evacuations during disasters.
“We hope to finally be able to make it available for commercial use soon. It all depends on the regulations. As far as we know, there has yet to be any policy that regulates airborne electric taxis in Indonesia,” Jefry said. (rfa)
