The urban air mobility situation in India has witnessed rapid development from the last few days. Bangalore-based Sala Air unveiled its first eVTOL prototype ‘Shunya’ and just a day later, ePlane received DGCA certification for its eVTOL e200x. JetSetGo, India’s leading charter company, has signed an agreement with SkyDrive and EVE Air Mobility to develop and deploy air taxis in India.
In a country with so much UAM development going on, it was only a matter of time before the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA India) stepped up its game. Regulators are actively working with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to develop a regulatory framework for advanced air mobility with a focus on safety. As part of this effort, DGVA has established six working groups focused on various technical and regulatory aspects to safely integrate new technologies into the nation’s airspace. It focuses specifically on electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Reports from two of these groups on vertiport and eVTOL certification were published last year.
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DGCA Secretary General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai emphasized that while innovation is a priority, safety remains the top priority.
Speaking at the recently held International Conference on Air Mobility, Mr. Kidwai spoke about the need for stakeholder cooperation, aligning new regulations with international standards and ensuring technical feasibility, while addressing infrastructure needs. He highlighted challenges such as the creation of unmanned traffic management and the integration of traditional systems. “These hurdles need to be addressed to ensure safe and efficient advancements in air mobility,” Kidwai said.
Other challenges facing the UAM sector include:
