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Uber Air Taxi will be Launched; Booking will be done through Mobile Application

Think, you take out your mobile phone to book a cab, open the application, and there you see two options. One traditional taxi and the other one, an air taxi. Yes, Dubai is going to make this dream a reality, where the taxi will not run only on roads but also in the air. So far, getting stuck in traffic has been unavoidable, but it might not be in the near future, as your usual Uber app for cab booking will now offer air taxis as well. In fact, electric air taxis are set to start in Dubai by the end of this year, and passengers could book them directly through a mobile app. What stands out is that this facility will be provided by the famous ride-hailing application, Uber. So, now, along with a traditional taxi running on the road, there will be an option for an air taxi, all in a single application. How Will the Air Taxi be Booked Through the Application? Booking an air taxi will be just like booking a normal taxi. You open the application, fill in your destination and if air travel is possible on that route, then the option for an air taxi will automatically become visible. Initially, you will be taken to a take-off point by road, then there will be air travel, and after landing, you will be taken to the final destination again via road. This means you will do the entire journey on a single ticket and through a single application. This air taxi will be fully electric and carry four passengers. Every flight will be piloted by a licensed commercial pilot to ensure safety. The cabin will have comfortable seats and large windows, so passengers can enjoy the enthralling views of Dubai from the sky during the flight. This air taxi has six propellers, which help in the straight takeoff and landing. This will be just like a modern eVTOL aircraft. If required, this taxi can fly forward. The taxi's maximum speed will be around 321 km/h, and it can travel up to 160 kilometres on a single charge. To make travel within the city safe, many distinct security systems are also installed in the air taxi. The operation of this air taxi might start this year only. This will also serve as a boost to Dubai’s multi-model transport system, linking the land to the sky. The air mobility prospects that have been worked on for decades can now become part of people's daily lives. The goal is to formulate a transport system that enables short-distance travel in high-traffic areas. Source: Aaj Tak

Admin 27 Feb 2026

Army Will Acquire 850 Indigenous Kamikaze Drones Worth Rs 2000 Crore

The Indian Army, in a move to improve its military prowess, will acquire 850 kamikaze drones worth Rs 2000 crore. Leveraging lessons from India's ‘Operation Sindoor’, the Indian Armed Forces is strengthening its defence forces. The acquisition will be cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council later this month, will be a big step in India's approach to contemporary warfare. According to reports, indigenous drones, sourced from domestic manufacturers, will equip the Army, Navy, and Air Force with pioneering technology to tackle emerging threats. The deal is another example of India's push for self-sufficiency in defence production, aligning with the government's 'Make in India' initiative. As India is looking to strengthen its position in the region, the kamikaze drones will provide an edge, allow precise strikes and minimizing collateral damage. The Army's experience during Operation Sindoor, where drones were key in targeting terrorist hideouts, has informed this decision. The Indian Army, with plans to invest 30,000 loitering munitions in the near future, is bringing a key change in warfare competencies. The drones will be integrated into infantry battalions, with each unit forming an Ashni platoon dedicated to working these unmanned aerial vehicles. What Are Kamikaze Drones? The officials stated that Kamikaze drones are drones designed to hover over a target area before crashing into it with explosive payloads. They are cost-effective, high-precision tools used for surveillance and strikes, diminishing collateral damage. As officials stated, the Army plans to have each infantry battalion include an Ashni platoon accountable for operating these drones against enemy locations and in counterinsurgency roles, with the induction of about 30,000 loitering munitions in the near future. Kamikaze Drones Effectiveness During Operation Sindoor The Indian Army has formerly used drones efficiently during Operation Sindoor, targeting terror headquarters inside Pakistan and neutralizing 7-9 terrorist targets. The drones also took on the Pakistan Army, causing enormous damage and casualties. The drones will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers, aligning with India's push for self-dependence in defence technology. Companies such as InsideFPV Ventures and Maharshi Industries are leading the expansion of affordable, high-precision kamikaze drones priced at about $400 per unit. Source: Republic Bharat

Admin 22 Dec 2025

Drone Tech Contributing to National Security, Agriculture and Smart City Needs, Says Expert

Drone technology and the continuing research are contributing a lot to national security, agricultural modernization, and smart city development, said Dr. K. Krishna Naik, Department of ECE, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Kurnool, while delivering a lecture at a national-level workshop on ‘Drone technology on December 15, 2025. Lecturing the students, Dr Naik said that crop health analysis, water resource mapping, traffic monitoring, and border surveillance can be carried out at a lower cost and in less time using drones. He stressed that students who acquire skills in drone hardware design, embedded systems and communication protocols would find outstanding prospects in the industry. He also stressed the necessity for consciousness of safety norms, DGCA guidelines, flight permissions, and no-fly zones. “By aligning academic research with industry requirements, students can explore not only job prospects but also venture into a start-up,” he added. The week-long workshop is being organized under the aegis of the Department of Computer Science, Vikrama Simhapuri University at its Kakatur campus. University Vice Chancellor Prof. Allam Srinivasa Rao said that in the current era of rapid technological progression, the importance of drone technology is increasing day by day. Keeping in view the imminent Drone City in Kurnool, the Vice Chancellor directed the faculty of the Department of Computer Science to initiate M.Sc. programmes in ‘Drones and IoT’ to generate a skilled workforce capable of efficiently using the emerging prospects in this domain. Source: The Hindu

Admin 19 Dec 2025

India's Drone, Space-Tech Boom to Add over 200,000 jobs by 2033: Report

India's aerospace, drones, and space tech industry will expand over five-fold to USD 44 billion by 2033 and create more than 2 lakh new jobs for engineers, researchers, and data scientists, a report said on Friday. As reported by workforce solutions provider Adecco India, the aerospace, drones, and space tech industry is quickly evolving from a research-driven domain into a developed industry, driven by government reforms, private-sector participation and international collaborations. The nation's drone and space-tech industry will create over 2 lakh new jobs for engineers, researchers, data scientists and business professionals, amongst others, the report added. Moreover, new-age roles such as Space Policy Analysts, Robotics Engineers, Avionics Specialists, and GNC experts are emerging as important to India's space ambitions, it stated. The insights and numbers presented are derived from data collected across over 100 Adecco clients, supplemented with market research sources. "With robust government vision and a vibrant startup ecosystem, India will become a global space hub, and this will create a wave of prospects for talent across engineering, research, data and business domains," Adecco India Director and Head of General Staffing Deepesh Gupta said. Regions, for example, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Pune, will drive maximum prospects, with wages for niche roles in avionics, cryogenics, Attitude Determination and Control Systems, Remote Sensing Specialists, Space Habitat Engineer commanding a 20-30 per cent premium compared to technical fields, Gupta added. Central to this growth are reforms, for example, the Indian Space Policy 2023, a thriving base of 250+ space startups, and a breakthrough of Rs 1,000 crore VC fund under IN-SPACe to fuel innovation and private-sector participation. "Diversity will be a cornerstone of India's space workforce. Initiatives, for example, the WISE Fellowship, Vigyan Jyoti Programme, ISRO Young Scientist Programme (YUVIKA), and the SAMRIDH Scheme, are already allowing more women to enter technical fields, research, and entrepreneurship. Upcoming milestones that will accelerate talent demand across the ecosystem comprise the Gaganyaan mission, India's contribution in the Axiom-4 ISS program, and the expansion of the nation's own space station. At present, the Indian space economy is contributing around 2 per cent to the global market. The government has set a target of scaling this to USD 44 billion by 2033, including USD 11 billion in exports, positioning India to command 7-8 per cent of the global space economy, according to the report. Source: Business Standard

Admin 15 Dec 2025

Russia Deepens Ties with India, Seeks Joint Drone Production – ISW

The Kremlin is increasingly relying on India to compensate for its labour shortage and also wants New Delhi to support the production of drones that Russia seeks to use in the war, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The head of the Russian state defence conglomerate Rostec, Sergey Chemezov, said on December 5 that Russia is in talks with India to localize the production of Russian drones, including the Lancet, in India. The day before, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said in an interview with India Today that Russia not only sells weapons to India but also transfers technologies for shipbuilding, rocket production, and the aviation sector. The dictator claims that India is using Russian Su-57 fighter jets and is producing T-90 tanks and jointly developed BrahMos missiles on its territory. Analysts note that such statements by Putin and the head of Rostec indicate that Moscow may be considering expanding cooperation with India to include joint drone production. Russia is likely planning to use these drones in its war against Ukraine, possibly in exchange for transferring new Russian technologies and combat experience to India. It is also known that a delegation from the Smolensk FPV Drone Piloting Centre has arrived in India to carry out tasks within the framework of the Russian-Indian strategic partnership. On December 5, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said that Russia can accept an "unlimited number" of labour migrants from India under a new bilateral labour mobility agreement signed that day in New Delhi. According to Manturov, the Russian industrial sector is short 800,000 workers, and the trade, construction, and services sectors are short 1.5 million workers. The deputy prime minister said it will take Russia more than a year to create the conditions needed to receive, employ, and process the documents of Indian migrants. At the same time, the head of the occupation authorities in the Kherson region, Volodymyr Saldo, said on December 6 that possible cooperation with Indian partners was discussed at a recent international investment forum in Moscow. Saldo claims that the occupation authorities are ready to attract Indian labour migrants to “strengthen the region’s agricultural industry” and are prepared to cooperate with Indian partners to integrate the occupied Kherson region into “international trade corridors.” Russia–India cooperation As a reminder, India has faced economic and trade losses due to its cooperation with Russia, predominantly in the milieu of Russia’s war against Ukraine and sanctions pressure from the US and the EU. Because of its close ties with Russia, the US in 2025 raised tariffs on most Indian goods to 50 per cent, including “additional” tariffs linked to purchases of Russian energy resources and weapons. This has negatively affected Indian manufacturers who target the American market. For this reason, in December 2025, India plans to reduce exports of Russian oil to the lowest level in the past three years. Earlier, RBC-Ukraine stated that Indian energy giant Reliance Industries totally stopped imports of Russian oil on November 20. As an alternative, the Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries acquired millions of barrels of oil from Middle Eastern nations and the US after American sanctions were imposed on two Russian producers. In addition, the media reported that India plans to discuss purchasing Russian fighter jets and missile defence systems during a visit by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. It is also known that India will lease a nuclear attack submarine from Russia for 10 years. The deal is worth 2 billion dollars. Source: RBC Ukraine

Admin 08 Dec 2025

Indias Domestic Aviation Demand Strengthens in October 2025

India’s aviation landscape for October 2025 indicates that domestic air passenger traffic, ICRA's projections, and passenger load factor trends reflect underlying resilience in the nation’s travel ecosystem. There is a noticeable rise in overall travel interest, driven mainly by renewed confidence among leisure travellers, improved fleet availability, and seasonal tourism peaks that frequently inspire movement across key states and cities. According to the latest analysis by ICRA, passenger movements across Indian airports have been supported not only by higher flight occupancy but also by sustained recovery in aviation-related operations, which have contributed significantly to travel and tourism in the country. In October, domestic air passenger traffic in India grew in line with broader improvements across the national aviation network, suggesting the sector has efficiently adapted to operational challenges. Encouraging numbers in capacity deployment, combined with consistently strong interest amongst travellers heading to established and emerging destinations, have helped create a stable foundation for the aviation outlook. This expansion is significant for India’s travel sector, where air connectivity is important in linking tourism hubs and supporting regional economies. Steady Growth Reflected in India’s Domestic Aviation Activity The domestic aviation sector in India has been observed moving through a phase of renewed momentum in October 2025, with ICRA estimating that passenger traffic reached 14.28 million during the month. This signified a 4.5% increase over the 13.6 million passengers who travelled in October 2024. The month-on-month growth of 12.9% compared to September 2025 further indicated that the aviation landscape is benefiting from a surge in holiday travel, festival-related movement, and improved connectivity across the country’s major travel corridors. India’s domestic aviation network, supporting vital tourism flows across states such as Goa, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, and Jammu and Kashmir, has anchored the resurgence of intra-country travel. With improving convenience and accessibility, the sector has played a central role in revitalizing local tourism economies that depend heavily on air-linked visitors. Passenger Load Factors Highlight Sustained Travel Demand The average passenger load, one of the strongest indicators of aviation demand, stood at 84.7% during October 2025. This marked an improvement over the 82.4% recorded in October 2024. This shift is a clear reflection of strong, consistent consumer appetite for travel within India. A high PLF has also been advantageous for airlines operating in the country, allowing more efficient seat use and improving operational stability. Tourist-heavy routes, for example, those connecting Delhi to Leh, Mumbai to Kochi and Bengaluru to Port Blair, have contributed to these strengthened load factors. Seasonal demand for hill stations and beach destinations has a big role in shaping this positive trajectory. Return of Grounded Aircraft Helps Ease Operational Pressure In October, domestic capacity deployment rose 1.7% year on year, with a 10.8% consecutive increase. These improvements were due to the return of grounded aircraft to service and by airlines' improved fleet utilization. India’s aviation sector has been experiencing periodic constraints due to supply chain delays, upkeep requirements and global market uncertainties. The reintroduction of grounded aircraft has therefore been instrumental in stabilizing seat availability across the country. This enhanced capacity has supported tourism-dependent regions where flight frequencies are vital for maintaining tourist arrivals. Improved seat supply has also helped travellers visiting pilgrimage sites, wildlife reserves, luxury resort destinations and remote hill regions in India that depend heavily on-air connectivity. Performance Overview for the First Seven Months of FY26 From April to October 2025, India’s domestic air passenger traffic is projected at 94.45 million, a modest year-on-year increase of 1.6 per cent. Though this increase has been measured against the more robust recovery phase witnessed in FY25, it has nevertheless indicated stability in the sector among various global and domestic challenges. In the corresponding seven months of FY25, domestic air passenger traffic was about 1,653.8 lakh, which reflected a stronger 7.6% year-on-year expansion. This earlier growth aligned with ICRA’s projections of 7-10% for FY25. Broader financial sentiment, temporary disruptions and evolving passenger behaviour patterns in business and leisure travel have influenced the shift from high to moderate growth in FY26. External Factors Shaping the Aviation Environment While travel demand remains healthy, ICRA has highlighted numerous factors that could shape growth consequences in the near future. Cross-border tensions have introduced doubts into aviation routes, while ATC disruptions have added operational intricacy to flight scheduling. Also, a mild softening in business travel sentiment has been observed due to shifting corporate priorities, remote-work dynamics, and ongoing global market conditions. Despite these influences, tourism-driven demand continues to anchor the domestic travel ecosystem. Enthusiasm amongst holidaymakers has remained high, particularly as India offers diverse travel landscapes that attract both repeat and first-time flyers. Augmented interest in short-haul trips, experiential tourism and flexible weekend travel has helped preserve consistent passenger movement across domestic airports. Stability Expected for FY26 Aviation Outlook ICRA has placed a Stable outlook on India’s aviation industry for FY26. Domestic traffic growth is projected at 4 to 6%, while international traffic is projected to rise by 13 to 15%. These projections confirm that India’s aviation system is well-positioned for gradual, sustained growth, supported by strong fundamentals such as airport upgrades, enhanced airline efficiency, and expanding networks serving key tourism circuits. International travel demand linked to routes connecting India to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe has also been contributing to a positive aviation environment. As new flights and restored routes, such as Air India’s planned resumption of Delhi–Shanghai operations, become available, India’s position in the global travel network is expected to strengthen further. Source: Travel and Tour World

Admin 19 Nov 2025

Delhi's Drone Didi’s Take Flight: The Police's State-of-the-art Initiative to Keep a Close Eye on Delhi

The West District of Delhi Police has launched an initiative called "Netra-Netra-Nari," an important step toward both modern policing and women's empowerment within the police force. In this project, female constables will be positioned to operate cutting-edge surveillance drones in tremendously crowded market areas throughout the vital festive season. These Drone Didis are now an important part of instantaneous security operations in busy areas like Rajouri Garden, Moti Nagar, Tilak Nagar and Kirti Nagar. Their main role of the same is to influence drone technology for inclusive aerial surveillance, providing irreplaceable understandings that ground teams cannot achieve. Exactly, they are tasked with monitoring the movements of large crowds, detecting suspicious activities, controlling traffic congestion from above and identifying any unfortunate incidents. The main strength of this initiative lies in its competence: video captured by pioneering drones is sent directly to the district's control rooms. This instantaneous data flow lets field units respond quickly and coordinate professionally, reducing response time to potential security breaches or violations of law and order. As senior police officials stated, this move advances overall policing efficiency by leveraging modern knowledge and also reflects the growing role of women in tech-driven security and leadership positions. The observers state that by putting women in command of erudite surveillance systems, the Delhi Police is not only strengthening security in jam-packed public spaces but also setting an example for gender inclusion in policing across the nation. Source : News 18

Admin 24 Oct 2025

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