Air India, SkyDrive, Suzuki to study eVTOL medical logistics in India

Air India, SkyDrive Inc. and Suzuki Motor Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding on July 31 to conduct a joint feasibility study on the use of eVTOL aircraft for medical air logistics in India. SkyDrive is a Japanese company engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of eVTOL aircraft, and Suzuki is the automaker with an established presence in the Indian market.

The companies said India's major cities face severe traffic congestion, creating significant challenges for time-critical medical logistics. By combining SkyDrive's eVTOL technology, Air India's operational expertise and Suzuki's India market insight, the three companies said they will take on the challenge of realising last-mile emergency medical logistics, contributing to the advancement of India's medical infrastructure.

Ramesh Mamidala, Head of Cargo at Air India, said India is today one of the world's largest and fastest-growing aviation markets, and that the airline sees advanced air mobility as a natural extension of the country's transport ecosystem. He said the collaboration with SkyDrive and Suzuki reflects a shared ambition to explore 21st century solutions to real-world challenges while shaping the future of mobility. He said the potential application of eVTOL aircraft for medical air logistics is particularly compelling because it combines technology and purpose, helping to reduce critical transit times when every minute can make a difference. Air India, he said, is pleased to contribute its operational expertise, airport infrastructure knowledge and stakeholder relationships to help evaluate and develop a framework for safe, reliable and scalable eVTOL operations.

Tomohiro Fukuzawa, Founder and CEO of SkyDrive Inc., said the company has been dedicated since its founding to transforming the future of transportation through the aerial mobility revolution. He said SkyDrive is proud to partner with Air India and Suzuki on medical logistics, a sector where every second counts and lives can be saved. He said that in India, where chronic congestion is a pressing issue, using eVTOLs for advanced medical logistics, including the transport of high-value, time-critical medical supplies, will reshape medical infrastructure, and that the company will work dedicatedly to help save as many lives as possible.

Masao Fujitani, Executive General Manager, Next Generation Business Development at Suzuki Motor Corporation, said the eVTOL aircraft being developed by SkyDrive, with which Suzuki is engaged in business and technology collaboration, represents a new form of mobility that embodies Suzuki's philosophy of "Sho-Sho-Kei-Tan-Bi" (Smaller, Fewer, Lighter, Shorter and Neater). He said the company believes it has the potential to play a role in supporting medical infrastructure in urban areas. Under its corporate slogan "By Your Side," Fujitani said Suzuki will continue to provide diverse mobility options tailored to customers' needs and contribute to regional development, and that by collaborating with a range of mobility companies including SkyDrive and Air India, Suzuki aims to realise infrastructure mobility closely connected with people's lives.