The ePlane Company, ETAC join forces to give wing to flying taxis

In a stride towards the future of urban air mobility, Chennai-based electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) startup The ePlane Company has partnered with ETAC, a venture that envisions city skies buzzing with affordable, on-demand flying taxis — just as easy to book as an Uber ride.

 

With ETAC -- which describes itself as an air mobility service provider -- already scouting land for vertiports in Gurugram and Noida, the National Capital Region could soon become the country’s first hub for local aerial mobility.

 

This partnership goes beyond just developing aircraft — it aims to build an entire ecosystem. From aircraft procurement and vertiport infrastructure to pilot training, the two firms are betting big on a future where short-haul air travel becomes an everyday reality. “ETAC will develop the real estate and generate recurring revenue from landing fees and other streams. In the next few months, pilot training standards will also be finalised — paving the way for the ecosystem to take shape,” said Satya Chakravarthy, founder of The ePlane Company. The initial plan envisions at least 10 vertiports per city, with commercial operations expected to take flight by the end of 2026.

 

IndiGo’s parent company, InterGlobe Enterprises, too has been looking to develop necessary eVTOL infrastructure in collaboration with American air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation.

 

Elsewhere in the world, Dubai has approved the construction of its first aerial taxi vertiport, setting the stage for airborne public transport to take flight by 2026. 

 

With India’s urban congestion in mind, ETAC has already begun identifying suitable sites for vertiports in Gurugram and Noida, the companies said in a joint statement. The ePlane Company will lend its technical expertise to ensure smooth integration between airspace and ground operations. As part of its commitment to commercial rollout, ETAC has signed a letter of intent (LoI) to purchase an undisclosed number of aircraft from The ePlane Company. 

 

This development follows The ePlane Company’s recent $1 billion deal with International Critical-care Air Transfer Team (ICATT) to supply 788 air ambulances — an agreement that signalled the startup’s growing foothold in the eVTOL sector.

 

To build India’s first pipeline of eVTOL pilots, ETAC plans to establish a Type Rating Training Organization (TRTO), which will oversee the specialised training required for eVTOL operations. The ePlane Company will contribute full-scale simulators, a trainer aircraft, and assist in curriculum development.   

 

Looking beyond this initial agreement, both companies envision expanding their collaboration into maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, alongside innovative revenue-sharing models across vertiport operations and pilot training programmes. 

 

“As India’s first company with a civil eVTOL aircraft in certification, our vision extends beyond manufacturing — we are building an entire ecosystem for sustainable urban air mobility,” said Chakravarthy of The ePlane Company. 

 

For ETAC’s Vinod Sanan, the partnership represents a crucial leap towards mainstreaming flying taxis. “As pioneers in eVTOL operations, we are committed to laying the foundation for a robust urban air mobility network. With a focus on vertiport infrastructure in Gurugram and Noida, combined with ePlane’s advanced technology, we are set to accelerate India’s transition to safe, efficient, and scalable aerial mobility,” he said. 

   

This collaboration underscores India’s commitment to next-generation transportation solutions, positioning the country as a global leader in the rapidly evolving global eVTOL industry, the companies said in a statement.