PUTRAJAYA: A 10-minute flying taxi ride using a drone from Kuala Lumpur to Genting Highlands, or a quick aerial hop between an island and the mainland, may be possible one day, though it is more likely that it will be years before such a proposal receives the green light from Malaysia’s aviation regulator.
In several developed countries, various parties are trying to promote the use drones, also called electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs), as a means of passenger conveyance in urban areas, though various regulatory hurdles prevent mass scale deployment as flying taxis.
An eVTOL is a battery powered aircraft that can take off and land like a helicopter, and is suited for short journeys, and could eventually be used for airport transfers, island connections, tourism and travel between nearby cities.
However, Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) chief executive officer Capt Datuk Norazman Mahmud said such services would only be considered after operators prove that their aircraft, its crew landing facilities and emergency systems can safely transport passengers, even as cargo movements are being trialled here.
“Passenger services require a high level of safety assurance,” he said, adding that approval for cargo operations does not mean that approval can also be extended for passengers.
Operators that are proposing fixed flying routes, such as an island service, will not see any leniency when it comes to safety and reliability.
“Airworthiness, safe operating procedures, maintenance, airspace coordination and emergency response must still be demonstrated,” he said.
Norazman said while the first eVTOL aircraft could receive certification from major aviation authorities as early as next year, such certification was only the first step before an aircraft could enter service.
“Certification is one thing. It’s the same like aircraft – you order today, you’re not getting it tomorrow. You’re probably getting it in the next five years,” he said of commercial aircraft deliveries timelines that took time even after certification and orders were secured.
“The delivery, I think the fastest will be 2028 or 2029,” he said, adding that CAAM would also assess whether such overseas certification was rigorous enough to allow such aircraft to operate commercially in Malaysia.
“If they get FAA or EASA, it’s much easier because it’s already a recognised standard,” Norazman said, referring to the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency.
But a mere overseas certification does not mean such aircraft will automatically be allowed to fly here.
“CAAM needs to be satisfied that the certification basis and supporting evidence meet the applicable requirements,” he said.
“You need systems and tools. Humans cannot do it,” he said, pointing out that artificial intelligence holds the key, with digital systems eventually enable aircraft to share information, avoid one another and operate within designated routes.
“So, you can fly several hundred air taxis within a few minutes because they communicate with each other,” he said, adding that other barriers include how to ensure that such technology is highly robust and cannot be hacked.
Public confidence, he said, depended on clear information, credible safety evidence and meaningful engagement with affected communities.
China is among the first to allow limited commercial passenger operations using eVTOL aircraft, including sightseeing flights.
Other markets, including the United Arab Emirates and the United States, are preparing regulations, aircraft and landing facilities for planned services, but broad commercial air taxi networks have yet to take off.
