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MUMBAI: Last month, during the APAC civil aviation minister’s conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicated that air taxis may soon become a reality in India. His statement followed a circular from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), outlining baseline airworthiness criteria for the type certification of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. The circular also details safety requirements for design, flight performance, and flight crew interface, which are necessary for the accreditation of eVTOL aircraft. This development is timely, as global players like Archer Aviation, backed by Stellantis and Boeing, plan to begin air taxi trials in India by 2025.
Industry experts anticipate that the DGCA may soon issue more precise and comprehensive regulatory guidelines to facilitate the launch of commercial air taxi operations in the country.
“The recent advisory circular by the DGCA is expected to streamline the certification process and specifically address safety and reliability aspects for electric vertical take-off and landing. It outlines infrastructure requirements for vertiports, battery charging criteria, site clearance and guidelines for take-off and landing. These provisions will reduce uncertainty for manufacturers and operators planning trials to launch air taxis in India,” says Jaideep Mirchandani, group Chairman of Sky One.
Many developed countries, including the USA, view air taxis as an integral part of their advanced air mobility plans. Recently, California-based Joby Aviation signed an agreement with the UAE Government to introduce air taxis in the UAE. If their plans for a 2025 launch succeed, the UAE will become the first country to have a fully regulated, operational air taxi service in the world.
“The zero-emission air taxis are expected to hop between major city centres and airports initially. Integrating them into existing airspace without affecting the schedules of current commercial flight services is one of the key challenges. Moreover, finding space in congested cities for vertiports and overcoming logistical issues are also valid concerns. Naturally, it will be a considerable task for regulatory bodies to finalize the rules and regulations,” added Mr Mirchandani.
On the prospects of air taxis in India, he believes air taxis could revolutionise urban transport economics, reduce carbon emissions and generate new business models. “An air taxi service could serve as an innovative solution to the burgeoning transportation challenges that India faces. However, we cannot say that air taxis will start flying in our airspace within a couple of months; that is unrealistic.
Regulatory measures come first, followed by the crucial aspect of their acceptance among the population. Finally, who will be the initial team makers for this ride? How will the services be extended to Tier II and III cities? These questions are yet to be answered. Transitioning from chartered flights for the elite to city-to-city travel for regular customers will be a gradual process,” concludes Mr Mirchandani.
