ePlane, Noida airport join hands to build eVTOL ecosystem
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Chennai based Ubifly Technologies Private Limited (The ePlane Company) has joined hands with Noida International Airport to co-develop regulatory and operational ecosystem that will see ePlane’s full-scale, compact electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (e200X aircraft) offer airport-to-airport transit, intra-city commutes, and emergency air ambulance services across the region.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the two entities proposes the collaboration to go beyond just physical infrastructure, and establish a comprehensive framework to co-develop the regulatory standard operating procedures (SOPs), Vertiport Management Systems, and operational ecosystem specifically required to deploy ePlane’s flagship e200X aircraft.
The infrastructure partnership complements key engineering progress, following the recent public unveiling of the full-scale e200X PT-01 prototype. With ground testing currently underway, the MoU ensures that the physical development of the aircraft is met with parallel advancements in ground operations and airspace integration, ePlane has stated.
"Deploying electric air taxis requires more than just building the aircraft; it demands the parallel development of ground infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and operational procedures," Satyanarayanan Chakravarthy, founder and director of The ePlane Company said.
"This MoU with Noida International Airport allows us to systematically validate our operational models using drone trials before transitioning to piloted e200X flights. It is a pragmatic, step-by-step approach to ensuring that when our aircraft are certified, the airport ecosystem is fully equipped to deliver on our core promise: bypassing urban gridlock and compressing hours of road travel into minutes of safe, emission-free transit for both passengers and critical medical care."
To facilitate these operations, Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) which is developing and operating Noida Airport will allocate space to The ePlane Company within the airport premises for proof-of-concept trials, vertiports, and charging stations, while aligning its airport Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to accommodate eVTOL services.
Simultaneously, ePlane Company will focus on securing necessary clearances from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), while executing the prototyping and flight testing of the e200X aircraft. The two entities will jointly engage with regulators, Air Traffic Control (ATC), and state governments to establish safety frameworks, Vertiport Management Systems, and AI-assisted fleet scheduling integrated with smart city systems.
"Noida International Airport’s long-term vision is closely linked with bringing innovative, future-ready infrastructure to the region. Integrating Advanced Air Mobility into our airport framework is an important part of our commitment to seamless, multi-modal connectivity. We are pleased to collaborate with The ePlane Company on developing the ground infrastructure and operational SOPs required to deliver safe, zero-emission air transit and vital emergency services to Delhi-NCR", Daniel Bircher, chairman, Noida International Airport said.
Founded in 2019 and incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Incubation Cell, The ePlane Company is India's leading deep-tech aerospace manufacturer pioneering the global transition to Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).
The ePlane Company is commercializing a modular airframe built to transform three key multi-billion-dollar verticals globally: high-frequency passenger Air Taxis, critical Air Ambulances, and middle-mile Urban Cargo networks.