Vessel Collaborates with Indonesian State Airline Garuda Group on AAM Business

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] Vessel announced on the 15th that its affiliate Vessel Aerospace has formed a partnership with the Indonesian state-owned airline Garuda Group for the AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) business.

Vessel Aerospace signed a memorandum of understanding on "local production of future mobility and entry into Indonesia" with GMF AeroAsia, a subsidiary of Garuda Group and Indonesia's largest aviation and defense MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) company, at the '2022 K-UAM Confex' held from the 9th to the 12th.

According to the company, AAM is a concept that goes beyond UAM (Urban Air Mobility) to include regional air mobility, consisting of elements such as electric propulsion, unmanned autonomous flight, and vertical takeoff and landing. Key stakeholders attended the event, including Vessel Aerospace CEO Kim Chi-bung and GMF AeroAsia CEO Ananta Widjaja.

GMF AeroAsia is an MRO specialist company in the aviation and defense sectors, possessing hangars over 20,000 pyeong (approximately 66,000 square meters), and is currently preparing new drone-related businesses.

Vessel Aerospace is participating in the national project OPPAV (Autonomous Personal Air Vehicle) through its expertise in developing lightweight aircraft KLA-100 and medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicles for maritime missions, utilizing carbon composite materials for airframe development. Vessel Aerospace is responsible for the airframe part, including design, manufacturing, final assembly, and test support.

Through this agreement, the two companies plan to contribute to the development of the future mobility industry between South Korea and Indonesia and strive to enhance mutual benefits. A company representative stated, "The partnership with a large-scale aviation company with significant influence in Indonesia has made entry into the Indonesian market more tangible."