IndiGo Parent and Archer Aviation to Introduce Air Taxis in India by 2026

InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of India’s largest airline- IndiGo in November signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Archer Aviation to start electric air taxis in India. Now, both parties are slowly climbing up steps and materializing the plans.

In this article, we will take a close look at every detail of this potential partnership and how will it impact urban air mobility in India.

About the Aircraft

Archer Aviation is a California-based company, which specializes in developing Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Midnight is the flagship aircraft of Archer Aviation. It is currently under the process of certification by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This aircraft can carry one pilot and four passengers in one flight.

Talking about its power source, the aircraft has six battery packs, which get fully charged in 30-40 minutes. One minute of charge equates to 1 minute of flight. This eVTOL aircraft is propelled by 12 electric propellers. This includes 6 tilt-propellers for vertical takeoff and landing and forward flight. Another 6 fixed propellers are utilized for additional thrust. There are five blades in each tilt propeller and 2 in each fixed propeller.

It has a range of 100 miles and can fly at a speed of 240 km/hr. American major airline, United has also ordered 200 of these aircraft.

When & Where Will Air Taxis Operate in India?

Archer Aviation and InterGlobe Aviation are planning to deploy air taxis in India by 2026. The testing process and trials may start next year. It is a completely new form of transportation and hence, it is crucial to demonstrate it to the public. To understand the viability of this aircraft, let us take an example. Imagine you want to travel from Connaught Place to Gurugram by car, it will easily take you more than one and a half hours for the journey.

But Archer Aviation Midnight aircraft can carry you from CP to Gurugram in just seven minutes. This journey may cost around Rs 2,000-3,000. Archer is targeting cities with heavy traffic. Other than Delhi, both parties have plans to deploy electric air taxis in Mumbai and Bengaluru as well. Archer Aviation will initially supply more than 200 Midnight aircraft for India operations.

Given the traffic in Indian cities and the busy lifestyle, I think that there will be ample demand for such air taxis, especially in cities like Bengaluru, where traffic management is a mess.

Currently, the partnership is at an MoU stage. Both InterGlobe Aviation and Archer Aviation will be setting up a Joint Venture (JV) for the enhancement of urban air mobility in India. The specifications of this JV are being considered currently.

What About Infrastructure for Air Taxis?

Deploying electric air taxis not only means that you are operating the aircraft. There will be dedicated vertiports and launchpads for their operations. Building, maintaining, and operating these vertiports is also a crucial factor.

Archer Aviation is currently in talks with various municipalities regarding the infrastructure and space required for establishing these vertiports. Once certified, Archer Aviation will begin the mass production of its Midnight aircraft. It will open a facility in Georgia and will have a production capacity of 650 aircraft per annum.

The capacity will be increased to 2,000 per annum with the passing of time. India will be the first international market for Archer Aviation. When asked whether the company is interested in producing its aircraft in India, the answer was positive.

The certification from the FAA is expected next year, and once that happens, the company will apply for certification by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Archer is also in talks with companies like Ola and Uber for further reach in the country.

Why InterGlobe?

According to Nikhil Goel, the CCO of Archer Aviation, there is a huge opportunity to work with IndiGo. InterGlobe is the parent company of IndiGo, which knows the pulse of Indian aviation. It can easily understand the market and the price, at which passengers can be attracted. Both Archer and IndiGo will create a synergy in passenger transportation. Furthermore, they will also partner on other fronts like cargo, charter services, medical emergency services, and logistics.

Initially, the goal is to deploy 200 aircraft. With time, there will be thousands of aircraft flying across various cities. IndiGo operates nearly 1,900 flights daily. Various passengers will opt for Air Taxis to and from the airport.

What do you think about such air taxis? Will you opt for one? Discuss in the comment section.

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