Texas-based eVTOL company wants to pioneer air taxi services in India

RahulNagaraj · 29th March 2023, 16:30

According to media reports, a Texas-based company which makes eVTOLs in Canada is working on being among the first to introduce air taxi services in India. The company has already partnered with FlyBlade India - a JV between Blade Air Mobility & Hunch Ventures.

Jaunt is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, but has its design & manufacturing hub in Montreal, Canada. The company unveiled its flagship aircraft, called 'Journey', back in 2020. The eVTOL is said to have a top speed of 281 km/h and a maximum range between 128 - 160 km. The Journey eVTOL is a mix of both a helicopter and an aircraft. It can take off and land vertically like a helicopter but operates like an aircraft during flight.

Texas-based eVTOL company wants to pioneer air taxi services in India-evtol.jpg

The Journey eVTOL is said to be completely silent, making it ideal for operating in busy urban areas. Blade and Jaunt plan to launch their air taxi operations in India by 2027, once the eVTOL is fully-certified. Blade will initially begin with 150 eVTOLs, before adding 100 more over the course of a decade.

Source: AutoEvolution

Link to Team-BHP news

BhayanaV · 29th March 2023, 20:55

Maximum range of 128-160 KM is too short for India.

Jeroen · 29th March 2023, 23:42

I am not holding my breath. Very ambitious timeline with virtually very little actual development and certification showing.

It does make me wonder why they believe India would be a prime candidate to launch these services/plane?

Jeroen

dicor · 30th March 2023, 10:49

Air taxis for the general public are the last thing I want to see in my life.

Standing on the 20th floor of my building,

The year 2023 - Looking down towards the road, it's jam-packed with vehicles.

The year 2043 - Looking up towards the sky, it's jam-packed with vehicles.

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Name: airtraffic.PNG
Views: 289
Size: 635.6 KB

Better public transport would obviate the need for urban private aviation.

Quote:

Meanwhile, there is the everyday problem of noise. Even the noise of a small drone overhead can be intrusive and an air taxi with several people on board will need powerful thrust to ascend vertically.

Courtesy: Financial Times
Full article here

OffRoadFun · 31st March 2023, 17:06

They may be forgiven for naivety, not knowing our anti-business, ossified old school babudom sitting in North Block, seemingly unaware of what is happening in the rest of world.

I actually had a dream to buy and launch my own micro-plane (VTOL type) in my farm which is decently big for this activity. I inquired a lot about it, the regulations. My eventual conclusion after talking to some who had tried doing this was this is not going to happen.

There are tons for permissions needed from aviation department to defense ministry and what not. Highest authorities should give a go ahead, from all departments. In a country, where the government does not allow citizens to even fly drones weighing more than 2kgs without explicit permission, what does one expect!

29th March 2023, 16:30	#1
RahulNagaraj Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,121 Thanked: 20,654 Times	Texas-based eVTOL company wants to pioneer air taxi services in India According to media reports, a Texas-based company which makes eVTOLs in Canada is working on being among the first to introduce air taxi services in India. The company has already partnered with FlyBlade India - a JV between Blade Air Mobility & Hunch Ventures. Jaunt is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, but has its design & manufacturing hub in Montreal, Canada. The company unveiled its flagship aircraft, called 'Journey', back in 2020. The eVTOL is said to have a top speed of 281 km/h and a maximum range between 128 - 160 km. The Journey eVTOL is a mix of both a helicopter and an aircraft. It can take off and land vertically like a helicopter but operates like an aircraft during flight. The Journey eVTOL is said to be completely silent, making it ideal for operating in busy urban areas. Blade and Jaunt plan to launch their air taxi operations in India by 2027, once the eVTOL is fully-certified. Blade will initially begin with 150 eVTOLs, before adding 100 more over the course of a decade. Source: AutoEvolution Link to Team-BHP news
	(3) Thanks

29th March 2023, 20:55	#2
BhayanaV BHPian Join Date: Nov 2020 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 90 Thanked: 150 Times	Re: Texas-based eVTOL company wants to pioneer air taxi services in India Maximum range of 128-160 KM is too short for India.
	() Thanks

29th March 2023, 23:42	#3
Jeroen Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Delhi Posts: 8,099 Thanked: 50,834 Times View My Garage	Re: Texas-based eVTOL company wants to pioneer air taxi services in India I am not holding my breath. Very ambitious timeline with virtually very little actual development and certification showing. It does make me wonder why they believe India would be a prime candidate to launch these services/plane? Jeroen
	(1) Thanks

31st March 2023, 17:06	#5
OffRoadFun BHPian Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Bangalore Posts: 329 Thanked: 1,661 Times	Re: Texas-based eVTOL company wants to pioneer air taxi services in India They may be forgiven for naivety, not knowing our anti-business, ossified old school babudom sitting in North Block, seemingly unaware of what is happening in the rest of world. I actually had a dream to buy and launch my own micro-plane (VTOL type) in my farm which is decently big for this activity. I inquired a lot about it, the regulations. My eventual conclusion after talking to some who had tried doing this was this is not going to happen. There are tons for permissions needed from aviation department to defense ministry and what not. Highest authorities should give a go ahead, from all departments. In a country, where the government does not allow citizens to even fly drones weighing more than 2kgs without explicit permission, what does one expect!
	() Thanks