As Indonesia charts its course beyond the 2035 aviation technology horizon, the challenge is no longer identifying emerging technologies, but building a governance ecosystem capable of translating foresight into strategic, systemic readiness. This op-ed proposes a visionary, integrated roadmap that unites DGCA and its directorates — Airworthiness, Air Transport, Airports, Navigation, and Security — through collaborative mechanisms with Transport Policy Agency (BKT) and Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDM), sandbox regulation, green initiatives, integrated research, and national data sovereignty, fostering an anticipatory aviation ecosystem for a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive future.
Indonesia at a Crossroads
Civil aviation in Indonesia stands at a critical juncture. Over the past two decades, infrastructure has expanded, regulations have been modernized, and selective technology adoption has occurred. Yet as the global air transport landscape accelerates toward autonomous systems, electrified propulsion, digital integration, and sustainability imperatives, the pressing question is no longer which technologies to adopt but how Indonesia can govern, integrate, and sustain them. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and its related directorates — Airworthiness, Air Transport, Airports, Navigation, and Security — face a triple imperative: managing safety, security, and services across today’s skies while preparing the institutional and human capital foundations for tomorrow’s transformative technologies. Working collaboratively with BKT and BPSDM ensures that innovation, regulation, and workforce development advance together in a coordinated and practical manner. Indonesia’s archipelagic geography, with dense urban centres placed side by side with remote islands, offers a natural laboratory for testing hybrid aviation solutions, including urban air mobility, seaplane networks, drone-enabled logistics, and AI-managed traffic systems. Realizing these opportunities depends on a governance architecture that can anticipate technological convergence while remaining grounded in operational realities.
A concrete illustration can be drawn from the expansion of seaplane services in North Maluku. Local government, airports, Air Transport, and Security collaborated to introduce amphibious aircraft connecting remote islands. DGCA Airworthiness ensured compliance with aircraft safety standards, BPSDM trained local operators and ground staff, and BKT coordinated policies aligning transport subsidies and regional connectivity targets. This small-scale experiment demonstrates how multi-agency collaboration can translate strategy into actionable service delivery.
Institutional Convergence and Foresight
Institutional convergence is central to Indonesia’s aviation strategic pathway. DGCA must evolve from a segmented regulatory apparatus into a harmonized system of directorates aligned under a coherent strategic vision. This does not necessitate creating a new institution but calls for a collaborative mechanism that optimizes existing functions. All directorates, in coordination with BKT and BPSDM, can collectively prioritize emerging issues, pilot innovative regulations, and direct resources toward national objectives.
The urban air mobility pilot in Jakarta serves as a practical example. Air Transport oversees operational safety and scheduling, Security establishes protocols for vertiports, Airworthiness certifies eVTOL aircraft, and BPSDM provides trained personnel for both control and operational roles. BKT ensures that policy and planning are coherent with urban transport strategies. This collaborative approach exemplifies a mechanism that is concrete, implementable, and scalable without requiring the creation of a highly visible new agency.
Sandbox Regulation for Safe Innovation
Sandbox regulation accelerates the safe adoption of emerging technologies. Controlled regulatory environments allow DGCA to experiment with eVTOLs, UAV logistics, AI-assisted maintenance, and hybrid propulsion aircraft. Jakarta’s urban air mobility corridors demonstrate how sandbox regulation can function in practice: dedicated flight paths, noise and environmental mitigation, and contingency procedures were defined, tested, and iteratively improved. Drone delivery pilots in East Kalimantan showcase a similar model, where Airworthiness ensures compliance, Security monitors risks, Navigation integrates airspace management, and BPSDM-trained operators execute operations. Feedback from these pilots informs national certification and operational standards, shortening the lag between innovation and regulation and ensuring that Indonesia can participate actively in global technological shifts.
Integrating Research and Innovation
Research and innovation must directly inform policy and operations. Academic institutions, industry laboratories, and research centres often operate in silos, limiting the translation of discoveries into actionable regulations. For example, a hybrid-electric regional aircraft trial connecting Jakarta to Semarang involved close collaboration between the DGCA directorates, local universities, and aircraft manufacturers. Lessons from this pilot — such as battery management, flight scheduling, and predictive maintenance protocols — were immediately integrated into operational guidelines, Airworthiness standards, and training modules for pilots and ground staff. A National Aviation Research and Innovation Framework formalizes this process, ensuring that technological pilots, safety assessments, and environmental considerations are embedded into DGCA policies in real time.
The Green Aviation Roadmap
Sustainability is integral to Indonesia’s aviation agenda. Carbon neutrality, energy transition, and sustainable operations must be embedded in every layer of governance. In practice, Yogyakarta and Bali airports have introduced solar-powered ground support equipment and energy-efficient lighting systems, which have significantly reduced carbon footprints. Airports, air traffic management systems, and fleet operations must adopt metrics-based green targets that guide operational decisions. Collaboration with Security ensures that sustainable logistics practices do not compromise safety. Incentivizing airlines to adopt sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) or electric ground vehicles illustrates how environmental performance can be operationalized and scaled through policy, technology adoption, and workforce training.
Digital Transformation and Data Sovereignty
A robust digital backbone is critical. DGCA must establish a National Aviation Data Spine, a secure, centralized repository integrating operational, safety, security, and environmental data. Jakarta’s air traffic management centre piloted an AI-driven system linking weather data, drone corridors, and manned aircraft movements, which allowed dynamic flight allocation and reduced congestion. Data sovereignty ensures national control, mitigating exposure to global cyber risks while supporting predictive maintenance, risk assessment, and urban air mobility operations. Through these initiatives, regulatory oversight shifts from reactive inspections to proactive, data-driven governance.
Human Capital for a Digital Era
Human capital is essential for implementing these innovations. DGCA, in collaboration with BPSDM, must cultivate a workforce capable of navigating AI, cybersecurity, and advanced air mobility. The proposed Digital Aviation Academy embeds competencies in predictive analytics, green operations, and urban air mobility coordination. For instance, specialized courses for drone traffic management or eVTOL operations ensure that personnel are fully prepared to integrate emerging technologies safely and efficiently. Exchange programs with international aviation institutions also allow best practices to be adapted to Indonesian contexts.
Aviation Security as a Strategic Pillar
Security is integral to aviation’s operational and strategic framework. DGCA Security must coordinate closely with Airworthiness, Airports, Air Transport, and Navigation to establish adaptive, risk-based protocols for emerging technologies. Security drills conducted in Surabaya for cargo drone corridors demonstrate how collaborative exercises can inform standard operating procedures and training programs. Cybersecurity measures, critical infrastructure protection, and integrated emergency response capabilities ensure that technology adoption does not compromise safety or security. Security is foundational, not supplementary, and essential for Indonesia’s compliance with ICAO standards.
Cross-Sectoral Policy Alignment
Aviation cannot develop in isolation. Coordination with urban planning, energy policy, maritime logistics, and digital economy strategies ensures that initiatives such as vertiports, seaplane routes, and multimodal freight corridors are coherent and mutually reinforcing. The Riau Islands seaplane pilot exemplifies cross-sectoral alignment: local transport authorities, DGCA directorates, and BKT collaborated to ensure scheduling, safety standards, and policy coherence. Such projects illustrate the value of integrated governance that maximizes social benefits, minimizes duplication, and enhances economic resilience.
Anticipatory Regulatory Philosophy
Regulation must evolve from reactive compliance to anticipatory governance. Performance- and risk-based frameworks, scenario planning, and continuous monitoring allow DGCA to stay ahead of technological change. For instance, pre-certification of hydrogen-powered aircraft enables rapid deployment once supply chains and infrastructure are ready, avoiding bottlenecks that could delay operational integration. Anticipatory regulation ensures that safety, security, and sustainability remain non-negotiable while enabling innovation.
Strategic Roadmap for 2035 and Beyond
Indonesia’s strategic roadmap spans immediate, mid-term, and visionary horizons. From 2025 to 2030, institutional convergence, collaborative mechanisms with BKT and BPSDM, initial sandbox regulation, preliminary green roadmap integration, and establishment of the National Aviation Data Spine set the foundation. Between 2030 and 2035, predictive oversight, risk-based certification, urban air mobility infrastructure, green operational targets, cybersecurity protocols, and integrated multimodal logistics ensure functional maturity. Beyond 2035, Indonesia achieves dynamic governance capable of continuously integrating emerging technologies, adapting to global shifts, and maintaining regional leadership. Concrete pilots such as urban air mobility corridors in Jakarta, seaplane services in North Maluku, and drone logistics in East Kalimantan serve as reference points for broader national implementation.
Philosophical Dimension: Aviation as National Purpose
Indonesia’s archipelago is not merely a logistical challenge; it is a canvas to harmonize geography, technology, and governance. Operational excellence emerges from iterative feedback loops linking pilot projects, urban mobility corridors, and security simulations directly to policy evolution. Human capital pipelines sustain leadership continuity and institutional memory. Each airport, drone corridor, and vertiport embodies not just operational achievement but disciplined strategic planning. The ultimate challenge is cultural and strategic: can Indonesia harmonize innovation, security, and human capacity within a governance framework capable of anticipating technological change while serving the national interest?
A Holistic, Systemic, and Value-Driven Vision
Indonesia’s aviation journey beyond 2035 is holistic, systemic, and value-driven. It integrates governance, innovation, sustainability, security, and human capital into a coherent framework. Emerging challenges, from cyber threats to urban air mobility integration, are met proactively. Aviation reflects Indonesia’s developmental ethos: forward-looking, resilient, inclusive, and grounded in national identity. Technology alone cannot secure the skies; governance, foresight, and collective purpose are equally decisive.
Conclusion: Preparing to Rise Wisely
The horizon is open. Indonesia’s aviation system must not merely adopt technologies but shape them, integrate them into society, and leverage them as instruments of national connectivity, security, and economic growth. Harmonizing innovation with anticipatory regulation, embedding security within every operational layer, and cultivating human capital capable of navigating complexity enables Indonesia to claim a distinctive role in global aviation. The sky is not only a space of flight but a space of possibility, where foresight, governance, and national purpose converge to transform ambition into operational reality.
