The civil aviation ministry is all set to formulate policy framework for the air taxis and will soon commission a study on the matter, Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal said.
According to India's Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal, the government would shortly be unveiling the first set of production-related incentives for drones.
"After intense industry consultations, a set of initiatives known as "Production Linked Initiatives" were adopted in 2021 to liberalise the drone ecosystem, establish drone regulations, create a digital skymap, implement policy initiatives, control the growth of the remote pilot system, certify drones, and provide financial incentives for drone manufacturing. We have already certified 15 drones in the last 15 months, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation is working on certifying five more. In the next one to two years, I anticipate that this figure will reach 50 "Says Bansal.
He added that creating a policy ecosystem for e-VTOLS is the government's next step after developing an ecosystem for drones and a policy for helicopters.
He stated that in order to better understand the e-VTOL market, the ministry would shortly commission a research in it.
E-VTOLs are VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft that hover, lift off, and land vertically using electric propulsion. The requirement for aerial vehicle technology for urban air mobility that can enable greener and quieter flights led to the development of this technology after advancements in electric propulsion (motors, batteries, fuel cells, and electronic controllers).
After drones, the Secretary suggested that e-VTOL is the next important area for air mobility research. Additionally, he stated that e-VTOL is the upcoming technology that the ministry would concentrate on because it has uses for both densely inhabited urban areas and distant, sparsely populated territories as well as smaller cities and villages.
India will have over 140 million air passengers in FY 2024: Scindia
Legislative committee raises worry over the lines at the airports in Delhi and Mumbai
Telangana's Lt Col Vinay Bhanu Reddy, die in helicopter crash
