India will soon start an on-road vertical take-off and landing air ambulance service. An IIT-Madras based electric aircraft startup – ePlane Company – will supply 788 air ambulances. The deal – a non-binding agreement- assumes significance as Indian cities and towns grapple with ever-increasing vehicular traffic. eVTOLs will begin by providing essential services like facilitating medical emergencies. Being electric vehicles, they will also ensure that the environment is not adversely affected by their use. The aircraft will accommodate a pilot, a paramedic, a patient, and a stretcher, along with essential life-saving medical devices and medical kits. They will have a top speed of 200 kmph and a range of between 110 kilometers and 200 kilometers per battery charge. The firm is aiming to begin operations by the last quarter of 2026, with a production capability of 100 units per year. So far, the firm has raised $20 million from investors and is seeking another $100 million to manufacture and test prototypes of other types of eVTol aircraft.
