Maruti Suzuki is making efforts to revolutionize air traffic in Indian cities. The company is aiming to take to the skies with the latest initiative of electric air taxis. With the assistance of these electric air taxis, Maruti intends to introduce electric air commute services.
The Maruti Air Copter, expected to be the most recent venture, can accommodate up to three people including the pilot. It is anticipated to be larger than drones but smaller than helicopters in size. However, it will have a payload capacity of 1.4 tons.
Before entering the Indian market, Maruti’s initiative is aimed at launching air taxis in Japan and the United States initially. The project aims to revolutionize urban mobility by offering air taxi services grounded on established ride-share services like Uber and Ola. Following this, Maruti plans to introduce the “Make in India” project to commence production in India, thereby boosting domestic manufacturing.
Maruti Suzuki has disclosed preliminary details of its air copter, named SkyDrive, at the India Mobile Global Expo. The unveiling is expected to happen at the Osaka Expo in Japan in 2025. Subsequently, Maruti Suzuki aims to involve consumers in India after its launch in Japan.
In comparison with traditional helicopters, this Air Taxis will also consider the expense side. Electric air copters with sufficient payload capacity could be utilized for various purposes, including launching and landing pads on building rooftops.
By initially challenging the 15-kilometer range three-passenger air taxis, Maruti aims to extend their range to 40 kilometers by 2029.
