Straight out of countless sci-fi books and films, flying taxis could just be a reality in India sooner than you think. There is already a lot of activity on the front, right from a plethora of startups working on the technology, industry bodies and trade events pushing for implementation and even the government sitting up and taking note of the regulatory requirements.
The two biggest booster hits for flying taxis were first when flying taxis were tested in Dubai couple of years ago, and the second, when the owning company of India’s biggest airline, IndiGo, said they will launch an all-electric air taxi service in the country soon.
But Urban Air Mobility or UAM, as the overall sector is called, has been striding ahead in search of this brave new world when flying taxis, be it helicopters or drone pods or eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) vehicles will fill the skies above us, flying on auto mode. IndiGo’s own venture, a partnership with US-based Archer Aviation captured reams of newsprint with its tantalising premise – Connaught Place (the centre of Delhi) to Gurugram (National capital Region’s tech and corporate hub) in just seven minutes! Presently, the bumper-to-bumper traffic on the supposed ‘expressway’ linking the two cities could take around 90 minutes.
“Flying taxis represent a major breakthrough in transportation, offering a potentially faster, cleaner, and more convenient alternative for short- to medium-distance travel within cities and across metropolitan areas,” said Amit Dutta, chairman of the CII Task Force on Advanced Air Mobility, and MD, Hunch Urban Mobility. “These aircraft are designed to be quieter, more energy-efficient, and more cost-effective.”
Life in this sky-high future will be mighty similar to how we commute presently – UAM involve the flying taxis taking off and landing in ‘Vertiports’, strategically located in city centres, business hubs and important residential spots. Think of them as your local metro station, only, instead of rail tracks, there are specialised landing spots for these flying vehicles to land and take-off. And you can book your ride very much the same way you book a ride on Rapido or Uber – through a digital device. A separate air traffic management system will be set up to ensure the flying vehicles travel smoothly and without accidents, much similar to ATC which regulates aeroplane traffic.
It’s surprising how much activity is going on in the sector, considering that it sounds so futuristic. India Inc’s business body, the CII, already has a task force in place for UAM, and an international trade fair on the subject is scheduled to take place in the national capital region next month. Many players, some of them presently into running shared helicopter services, are in the fray, raring to go. Apart from IndiGo’s venture, the players include Blade, the brand from Hunch, IIT Madras-incubated ePlane Company, Mahindras, BonV Aero etc. Globally, too, players like Joby Aviation, Velicopter etc, hope to get traction pretty soon, with cities like Los Angeles, Dubai and London likely to be the first on the planet to see commercial operations.
However, challenges, ranging from technology maturing to safety concerns, will need to be addressed. “Current battery limitations affect range and payload capacity. Advancements in energy density and charging infrastructure are critical,” said Nilesh Bajaj, co-founder & CEO of Vayve Mobility.
“Managing low-altitude traffic in dense urban environments requires robust systems and innovative solutions. Addressing concerns about safety, noise and environmental impact (will also be) essential for acceptance,” he added.
But optimism abounds in India, with ePlane Company set to start manned trails in four months time. Dutta of Blade is gung-ho. “We believe that flying taxis will not only revolutionise the way we commute but also improve the overall quality of life by reducing road congestion, cutting down travel times, and making urban transportation more sustainable,” he said.
