Flying Taxi Startup ePlane Partners with TCS to Boost e-Aviation Ecosystem

The ePlane Company, India’s pioneer electric flying taxi startup, has signed a strategic partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). The partnership aims to develop scalable solutions for flying electric taxis focusing on battery life cycle modelling, demand estimation, and operational optimization.

This collaboration will bring together The ePlane Company’s innovations in compact eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft and TCS’s expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT) to find scalable solutions for passenger and cargo transportation using e-planes.

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Future of Flying Taxis in India

In the past few years, multiple efforts have been made in the direction to strengthen India’s position in the urban e-Aviation sector.

In September 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a conference of civil aviation Ministers in the Asia Pacific region said, “The day is not far when travel by air taxi will be a reality.”

In October 2024, Sarla Aviation signed a partnership with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) to introduce eVTOL aircraft for urban mobility. The electric flying taxis are expected to cut down travel time and reduce vehicular pollution in Bengaluru, a city often plagued by long traffic delays, especially during the rainy season.

India's top airline IndiGo, and US-based Archer Aviation announced plans to launch electric air taxi service in India till 2026, that will carry passengers from Connaught Place in the national capital to Gurugram in Haryana in just 7 minutes.

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What is a flying taxi and why is it required?

Flying taxis, also known as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, are a new type of vehicle that could significantly reduce travel times and improve urban mobility.

These vehicles are required to tackle modern problems like traffic, pollution and the convenience of travel. A flying taxi can bypass ground traffic and travel through airspace, which could cut down travel times in congested urban areas.

Many of these vehicles are designed to be electric or hybrid, which could help reduce urban pollution levels. Flying taxis are quieter than fuel-powered helicopters and small airplanes.

Some prominent players in transportation, such as Boeing, Airbus, and Uber, are actively developing prototype flying taxis. On the other hand, some new age start-ups like The ePlane Company are also focused on solving this specific problem.

About The ePlane Company

The ePlane Company, incubated at IIT Madras, aims to revolutionize urban mobility with its all-electric, zero-emission air taxi, designed as one of the most compact eVTOL aircraft. This solution targets mid-mile urban air mobility, addressing congestion and pollution in cities, with potential across the more than $1 trillion global Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market.