Air taxies to soon start in India, prototype trials to begin by 2026: Union Civil Aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu

Metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune are facing severe traffic congestion, and as an alternative, a domestic-made ‘air taxi’ service will be launched.

“A trial of this service with a prototype will be conducted on a pilot basis by 2026,” said Union Civil Aviation Minister, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.

The Aeronautical Society of India organised a two-day national conference on the theme ‘Challenges in the AeroSpace for Viksit Bharat 2047’. The conference was inaugurated by Naidu in Pune on Friday at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Auditorium, Pashan.

He also expressed confidence that compared to Western countries, India has made remarkable strides in the aviation sector, and by 2047, India will establish its independent dominance in the global horizon.

Naidu further said, “Countries like the US and Europe are actively working in the aviation sector. With the help of modern technology, India is also developing. More than 35% of the machinery and various components required for aircraft are now being manufactured in India. This includes equipment for helicopters as well. With the aid of modern technology, production capacity is being further increased, and India is progressing towards self-sufficiency in the aviation sector. The ministry has planned for the next five years with this goal in mind and efforts are being made to increase air traffic in India to match the pace of Western countries.”

“The Ministry of Civil Aviation is working towards starting regional air transport services. In the next five years, 50 new airports will be built across the country, and by 2047, the number of airports will increase by more than 200. Currently, the construction of airports in Noida (Uttar Pradesh) and Navi Mumbai is in the final stages, and flight operations from these airports will begin soon,” said Naidu.

Talking about the drone technology he said, “India has the skills and capability for drone manufacturing, with around 30,000 modern drones currently in operation. By 2047, the number of drones will increase to one million.”