Following the conclusion of the country's largest electoral activity, the Aviation Ministry has initiated work on urban air mobility. It is speculated that India's regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has established multiple technical committees to develop the roadmap for air taxis in the country. The project is anticipated to begin in major cities such as Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru by 2026, with subsequent expansion to cities like Chennai and Hyderabad.
Upon the formulation of rules for various aspects of e-vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) by the country, InterGlobe Enterprises (IGE), the parent company of IndiGo, will collaborate with US air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation to establish the necessary infrastructure.
India's aviation authorities are expected to outline the technical requirements that air taxis must meet to operate within the country. Nikhil Goel, the Indian-origin CCO of the Boeing-backed Archer, mentioned that the cost per passenger for this service is likely to be only a "slight premium" over Uber. He also indicated that DGCA has formed several panels to address different aspects of air taxis, including air navigation, operational routes, and safety standards for vertiports. Everything is expected to be in place for air taxis to launch in India by 2026, positioning the country ahead in regulatory preparedness for eVTOL services for urban air mobility, as reported by the Times of India.
A team from Archer recently met with aviation authorities to discuss the program's rollout in India. IGE remains in regular contact with the regulator on this matter. Recently, IGE chief Rahul Bhatia ordered 200 Midnight air taxis from Archer, valued at approximately one billion dollars. Archer aims to begin operations in the US, starting with New York and Chicago, next year, followed by launches in India and the UAE. Bhatia recently visited Archer?s US headquarters and observed the eVTOL.
Bhatia commented at Archer HQ that, given the extreme congestion in Indian cities, urban air mobility would revolutionise transportation in the country, similar to how mobile telephony transformed communications in the mid-1980s.
Regarding the cost of air taxis, Bhatia noted that a Delhi-Gurgaon trip, which costs Rs 1,500-2,000 by Uber, would cost up to 1.5 times that, or Rs 2,000-3,000, per passenger via air taxi. Archer will commence manufacturing Midnight at its Georgia factory this year and is collaborating with auto major Stellantis to produce air taxis in other locations, including India.
