Cochin International Airport (CIAL) is exploring the development of vertiport infrastructure to enable future air taxi services in Kerala, marking a significant step toward advanced urban air mobility.
The airport has signed an agreement with urban air mobility startup Sarla Aviation to study the feasibility of integrating vertiports within or near the airport.
The proposed air taxi network could connect Kochi to key destinations such as Munnar, Alappuzha, Kovalam, Sabarimala, and Thrissur, initially focusing on tourism, while also supporting medical and pilgrimage travel.
Sarla Aviation is developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, including models designed for air ambulance services, which could make emergency transport faster and more accessible.
Vertiports, similar to helipads but built for next-generation electric aircraft, are essential infrastructure for air taxi operations, allowing vertical takeoff and landing without traditional runways.
With testing of prototype aircraft already underway, the initiative signals Kerala’s ambition to become an early adopter of air taxi technology in India, as the country prepares for commercial rollout in the coming years.
