The idea of air vehicles in urban settings has intrigued many but has also faced skepticism from certain quarters. However, the concept seems to hold enough merit for several aerospace companies to invest in it and become part of an idea that could change the way everyday commute works. And India may want to be part of the evolving technology, according to the country’s aviation minister.

Potential of setting up facilities in India

The Indian government seems to have sniffed the potential existing in the futuristic electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft market. Back from his recent visit to the US and Canada, India’s aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that several eVTOL companies there could be persuaded to set up manufacturing plants in India.

During his interactions with key players in the industry, Scindia said,

"... come and have a look at India... may be exploratory, you can set up a manufacturing base in India to export to rest of Asia and the rest of the world and also look at service routes in India."

Addressing the Experience Studio on Drones event on May 10th, Scindia added that several eVTOL players from Canada and the US are interested in setting up production centers in India. One of them is Beta Technologies, which has a partnership with Blade group that already has a presence in India with its helicopter services. Scindia has asked them to explore the eVTOL market in India.

Beta_Simulator
India's aviation minister wants eVTOL companies to explore the country as an option. Photo: Beta Technologies

With manufacturing possibilities firmly on his mind, the minister is also keen on Airbus and Boeing to look at setting up MRO facilities in the country, with an increasing number of their planes getting added to the country’s commercial fleet.

eVTOL space

Various eVTOL programs are currently in the pipeline around the world, with major manufacturers and airlines showing interest. The concept of urban air mobility (UAM) is still taking shape and understandably raises many curious questions. Simple Flying has also done a detailed analysis on the subject to examine if flying cars could ever really take off.

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Several players from within the industry have shown interest in the technology lately. Embraer Eve UAM, and Global Crossing (Global X) recently announced the signing of a Letter of Intent for 200 of Eve’s eVTOL aircraft. The potential sale is added to Eve’s current order backlog of 1,785 eVTOLs, expected to launch in 2026.

Global-X eVTOL over Miami
Falcon Aviation's letter of intent follows a similar move by Global Crossing Airlines earlier this year. Photo: Embraer

Among others, Air Greenland has also committed to purchasing or leasing a fleet of Vertical Aerospace VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Avolon. The carrier says the intention behind the agreement is to bring zero-emissions air travel to the region and help tackle the issue of climate change.

Indeed, with several projects under development today, the argument of eVTOL becoming an everyday reality is quite plausible.

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