The ePlane Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Noida International Airport to develop the ground infrastructure, operating procedures and airport systems needed for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, opening a new track for air taxi and emergency air ambulance connectivity in the region.
The Chennai-based startup and the airport will co-develop regulatory standard operating procedures, vertiport management systems and the wider operational ecosystem required to deploy The ePlane Company’s e200X aircraft, according to the company. The proposed collaboration covers airport-to-airport transit, intra-city commutes and emergency air ambulance services.
The agreement focuses on the infrastructure and operating framework that would support eVTOL services rather than announcing an immediate commercial launch. The company is currently working on the physical development of its e200 vertical lift-off aircraft while also preparing the ground operations and airspace integration required for its use.
“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 in a statement reported by The Hindu BusinessLine.
The proposed ground systems are significant because eVTOL operations require more than an aircraft and a landing location. Vertiport management, standardised operating procedures and coordination with airport and airspace systems would need to be developed alongside the aircraft’s deployment. The MoU places these requirements within the airport’s infrastructure and operations framework.
Noida International Airport said the partnership aligns with its long-term vision for future-ready infrastructure and multimodal connectivity. “Integrating advanced air mobility into our airport framework is an important part of our commitment to seamless, multi-modal connectivity,” Daniel Bircher, chairman of Noida International Airport, said in the statement.
The announcement links the proposed eVTOL network to several types of urban movement. Airport-to-airport services would connect aviation facilities, while intra-city operations would introduce a new layer of short-distance passenger transport. The reference to emergency air ambulance services also indicates a potential public-service application, although the statement does not provide details on routes, launch dates, fares, capacity, regulatory approvals or construction timelines.
For Noida International Airport, the agreement expands the discussion around airport connectivity beyond conventional road and aviation links. For The ePlane Company, it addresses the institutional and operational conditions needed to move its aircraft concept towards deployment. The next stages will involve developing the stated SOPs, vertiport systems and operational ecosystem under the collaboration.
