Japanese developer, manufacturer and seller of compact electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, SkyDrive is moving forward with the evaluation of potential operational routes for eVTOL-based logistics services in India.
On August 25, the company said it has identified initial routes in Mumbai and the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) for further assessment under a joint program with Air India and Suzuki Motor Corporation.
The development follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 31, 2026 by the three companies to explore the viability of eVTOL aircraft for medical air logistics in India.
SkyDrive said India’s rapid economic growth in recent years has resulted in increasing congestion in major urban areas. This is especially challenging for the companies involved when medical supplies need to get to hospitals fast.
The program is therefore designed to identify and evaluate operational routes where eVTOL aircraft can have a significant impact by bypassing road congestion and reducing critical transport times.
SkyDrive said the routes announced are part of an initial group of places that could be looked at further. Any commercial or other operational activity arising from the study would be carried out in close coordination with the relevant government and regulatory authorities and be subject to all necessary approvals.
Three use cases of priority
The program focuses on three specific applications: emergency transportation of radioactive isotopes, transportation of medical and organ transport and urgent movement of aircraft parts.
Radioisotopes for Cancer Therapy
The first use case is about the transportation of radioactive isotopes used for diagnosis and treatment of cancer in emergency cases.
These drugs have a very short half life, and they have to be transported to hospitals right after they are produced. The study will therefore look at a route between a manufacturing plant in Mumbai and major general hospitals in the vicinity.
The aim will be to see whether air-based logistics can offer a more reliable alternative to road transport, by bypassing traffic congestion, decreasing the likelihood of medicines degrading, and speeding up delivery to patients.
Emergency medical and organ transportation
The second application is for medical supplies in emergencies and for organs for transplantation.
Every minute is important for transplant surgery and other emergency treatments. Nonetheless, traffic jams in large cities such as the Delhi NCR can be unpredictable and time-consuming for road transportation.
The companies will evaluate transportation between major hospitals in Delhi NCR under the scheme. The study will evaluate the safety and feasibility of eVTOL operations, as well as the ability to reduce inter-hospital journey times.
The program estimates that journeys which currently take between 30 and 90 minutes by ambulance could be made by air in about 10 to 15 minutes.
AOG situations and aircraft parts
Delays in the aviation supply chain is another consequence of urban congestion, which was pointed out in the evaluation of medical logistics.
SkyDrive said congested traffic can delay critical aircraft parts from reaching maintenance facilities on time. Such delays can lead to Aircraft on Ground (AOG) situations where aircraft cannot be operated due to the non-arrival of required maintenance or replacement parts.
That means the program will go beyond medical logistics and look at emergency aircraft-parts transportation using eVTOL aircraft.
The study will examine routes linking parts collection hubs and maintenance bases near Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport to the airport’s terminals and maintenance areas. Companies will explore if eVTOL aircraft can bypass road congestion, speed up the delivery of replacement parts, reduce aircraft downtime and ultimately enhance operational reliability.
Creating a larger medical air logistics network
SkyDrive said the candidate routes and selected use cases were chosen keeping in mind the hypothetical future applicability. The company stated that it will keep looking into the broader potential for medical air logistics in India through dialog and research with relevant stakeholders.
This follows the MoU signed on July 31 between Air India, SkyDrive and Suzuki. As part of that agreement, the three companies agreed to collaborate on the feasibility of eVTOL aircraft for medical air logistics in India.
The collaboration combines SkyDrive’s eVTOL technology with Air India’s aviation and operational experience and with Suzuki’s market insight and experience in India.
The latest route evaluations in Mumbai and Delhi are the next step in that collaboration, while any eventual deployment will depend on the outcome of the studies, engagement with interested parties and the necessary regulatory approvals.”
