Leading Indian carmaker Maruti is now setting its sights on the sky. With the help of its Japanese parent company, Suzuki, the company is planning to develop electric air copters.
According to a report, the electric air copters would be larger than drones but smaller than traditional helicopters, with the capacity to transport at least three passengers, including the pilot.
This move is aimed at taking an early lead in new mobility solutions, initially targeting consumers in Japan and the US before expanding to India. Similar to Uber and Ola cars on the ground, these air taxis could revolutionize transportation.
Maruti is not only interested in exploring the Indian market for sales but also considering manufacturing in India to lower manufacturing costs. Kento Ogura, assistant manager at Suzuki Motor (automobile product planning group), global automobile planning department, said that the company is in talks with the aviation regulator DGCA and conducting feasibility studies to make this a reality.
The Maruti Suzuki electric air copters are to be named SkyDrive. Equipped with 12 units of motors and rotors, it is expected to debut at the 2025 Osaka Expo in Japan. The initial sales focus will be on Japan and the US, but Maruti has plans to eventually bring this technology to India through the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
The company is currently conducting market research to identify potential customers and partners in India. To succeed in India, the air copters must be affordable. Kento Ogura, an assistant manager at Suzuki Motor, emphasized the need for the product to be cheaper than helicopters.
With a take-off weight of 1.4 tonnes, the air copter would be nearly half the weight of a conventional helicopter, claimed the report. Owing to its low weight, it can use rooftops for take-off and landing.
Additionally, due to electrification, the number of aircraft parts has been significantly reduced, resulting in lower manufacturing and maintenance costs, the report further added.
