Preparations for the first ‘air taxi’ completed in India, target of flying in cities by 2028

New Delhi. Major changes in transportation are set to take place in the country. The ePlane Company, the company that developed India’s first indigenously developed air taxi, has claimed that the project is in the final stages and a target has been set to start the service in select cities by 2028.

Three seat, urban flight model
According to the company, the air taxi will be able to accommodate a pilot and two passengers – a total of three people. The service is designed for fast travel over short distances within a single city, much like autos or cabs work today, but through the skies.

‘Made in India’ technology
The air taxi is being developed completely with indigenous technology. Its initial small prototype was prepared in 2021, which completed a flight of about 9000 kilometers during testing. The company has been working on this project in collaboration with IIT Madras since 2019.

Which cities will it start from?
As per the proposed plan, the service will be started from Ahmedabad, Chennai, Pune and Bengaluru. It will be expanded to other metros later. At present, work on the fare and booking process is going on.

Formalities with DGCA
The project has received in-principle approval from the Central Government. Now the remaining technical and regulatory formalities are being completed with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). According to the company, existing helipads will be used in the initial phase, and new vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) infrastructure will be developed as demand increases.

Work on air ambulance also
The company is also working on developing air taxi as well as air ambulance service. The aim is to rapidly transport emergency patients to hospitals in cities suffering from traffic jams.

Will urban travel change?
If the plan is completed on time, the way to reach office, school or hospital may change. However, several steps remain to be taken before wide-scale operations such as safety testing, airspace management, fare determination and infrastructure expansion.
India’s first air taxi project marks a new era of urban mobility. The “way to the sky” could become a reality in cities once its commercial flights begin by 2028.