Air Taxis to Take Off in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru

Fly Over Traffic: Air Taxis Coming to Three Major Indian Cities

In a collaborative effort with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's aviation ministry is spearheading an ambitious project in urban air mobility. This project, a partnership between DGCA, InterGlobe Enterprises, and Archer Aviation, aims to establish air taxi services in major cities by 2026. As India looks forward to the upcoming government, the aviation ministry is focused on urban air mobility. DGCA has taken the lead in setting up technical committees to allow air taxis to operate in cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru by 2026 and later in Chennai and Hyderabad.

Once India establishes rules for e-vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), InterGlobe Enterprises will begin setting up the necessary infrastructure in collaboration with US air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation. DGCA has proactively formed panels to address various aspects of air taxis, including air navigation, operational routes, and safety and standards for vertiports. This comprehensive approach aims to ensure air taxis can operate in India by 2026. 

Archer's team met with Indian aviation authorities to discuss the program's rollout in India. InterGlobe Enterprises is in regular contact with the regulator for the same. The chief of InterGlobe Enterprises, Rahul Bhatia, has ordered 200 Midnight air taxis from Archer at a list price of about a billion dollars.

Archer plans to start operations in the US in cities like New York and Chicago next year, followed by launches in India and the UAE. Bhatia has expressed confidence in the potential of urban air mobility to alleviate congestion in Indian cities, comparing its impact to that of mobile telephony in the 1980s. India's aviation authorities will also establish the technical requirements for operating air taxis. Nikhil Goel, Archer's CCO of Indian origin, predicts that the cost per passenger for air taxi services will likely be only slightly higher than that of Uber. For example, a trip from Delhi to Gurgaon costs Rs 1,500-2,000 by Uber, while an air taxi trip may cost up to 1.5 times that amount, or Rs 2,000-3,000 per passenger. 

Notable investors in Archer include United, which has placed a firm order for 200 eVTOLs worth $1 billion and has the option to order 100 more. Boeing provides autonomous technology for Archer's future eVTOLs, and Stellantis contributes expertise in high-volume manufacturing.