Delivering cargo to the furthest reaches of the world’s biggest archipelago has forever been a challenge. Indonesia’s biggest airline sees a solution in drones.
PT Garuda Indonesia plans to procure 100 unmanned aerial vehicles from China’s Beihang UAS Technology to ship goods across the nation’s more than 18,000 islands, Director for Cargo and Business Development Mohammad Iqbal said, without disclosing a price. The state-run airline will operate the drones from 30 logistic centres, each with a dedicated airstrip, within five years, he said.
“This will totally change the landscape of the logistic industry in Indonesia,” Iqbal said in an interview at the company’s Jakarta headquarters. “The outlook for the cargo business in Indonesia is not just good, but very good.”