India is set to become one of the few countries in the world to introduce on-road vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air ambulance services, revolutionising emergency medical transport.
A $1 billion deal has been signed between IIT-Madras-based startup ePlane Company and ICATT, India’s leading air ambulance firm, for the deployment of 788 electric air ambulances, marking a significant leap in India’s urban air mobility sector.
Transforming emergency healthcare in India
With India’s increasing traffic congestion, traditional road ambulances often face delays, impacting critical emergency response times. The introduction of eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) air ambulances aims to provide swift, efficient, and eco-friendly medical transportation.
Since these electric air ambulances produce zero emissions, they align with India’s commitment to sustainable transportation while offering life-saving medical services.
India’s growing eVTOL industry
ePlane Company to begin air ambulance by 2026
The first fleet of air ambulances is expected to take flight by late 2026, according to ePlane Company founder Satya Chakravarthy. The firm, incubated at IIT-Madras, will have an initial production capacity of 100 units per year.
Cutting-edge air ambulance technology
- A pilot
- A paramedic
- A patient and stretcher
- Essential life-saving medical equipment
- Top Speed: 200 km/h
- Range: 110–200 km per battery charge
Why start with air ambulances instead of air taxis?
According to Chakravarthy, launching air ambulances first is a strategic decision to organically scale production before expanding into urban air taxi services.
“We can ramp up our production and put things into the market to good use much more effectively with an air ambulance than directly going to an air taxi,” he said.
