Indian eVTOL Aircraft Pioneers Seek Regulatory Progress

The Indian aviation industry is pressing India’s regulators to strengthen efforts to establish a regulatory framework for new eVTOL aircraft. The process is lagging despite PM Narendra Modi's advice to the industry to “leapfrog straight into aerial mobility.”

As stated by R.K. Bali, MD of India’s Business Aircraft Operators Association, rules governing eVTOL air services will be implemented within two years. At the group’s recent conference in Hyderabad, Kurt Edwards, DG of the International Business Aviation Council, said that private sector work on Indian eVTOL models is already “far ahead of the regulator.”

For instance, Bengaluru-based Sarla Aviation, backed by venture capital group Accel and Indian entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, is emerging with the Shunya eVTOL. As stated by the start-up, the hybrid-electric 6-seater will have a range of up to 435 nm, including 82 nm in all-electric mode, and a cruise speed of up to 136 knots.

Sarla, which has already begun construction of a manufacturing facility, is targeting type certification and the launch of commercial flights in 2029. The corporation said that the first air taxi services will operate to and from Bengaluru International Airport, with long-term plans to establish a network of vertiports in Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune.

Last year, Chennai-based ePlane started flight testing a full-scale prototype of its e200X eVTOL aircraft and reported completing transition flights. The two-seater is designed for short urban trips, with a range of around 33 nm.

Planned commercial air taxi operators comprise business aviation group JetSetGo, which last week placed pre-orders with UK manufacturer Vertical Aerospace for 50 of its 6-seater Valo aircraft. Under an agreement with InterGlobe Enterprises, U.S.-based Archer Aviation has committed its IndiGo airline subsidiary to deploy up to 200 of its four-passenger Midnight vehicles.

Source: AIN