Air India, SkyDrive and Suzuki sign MoU for feasibility study of medical air logistics in India
Air India, a Tata group’s airline, SkyDrive, a developer and manufacturer of eVTOL aircraft, and Japanese automobile manufacturer Suzuki Motor Corporation have joined hands to assess the potential of deploying advanced air mobility solutions for time-critical medical logistics across India.
The feasibility study will examine how eVTOL aircraft can address the challenge of severe traffic congestion in India’s major cities by enabling faster last-mile transportation of high-value and time-sensitive medical supplies.
A prototype of medical air logistics utilizing eVTOL aircraft in India
In a press statement, Air India says that the collaboration combines SkyDrive’s eVTOL technology, Air India’s operational expertise and airport infrastructure knowledge, and Suzuki’s deep understanding of the Indian market to evaluate a safe, reliable and scalable framework for eVTOL operations.
The statement adds that the initiative aims to reduce critical transit times for emergency medical logistics, contributing to the advancement of India’s healthcare infrastructure through next-generation mobility solutions.
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Ramesh Mamidala
“India is today one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing aviation markets, and we see advanced air mobility as a natural extension of the country’s transport ecosystem. This collaboration with SkyDrive and Suzuki reflects our shared ambition to explore 21st century solutions to address real-world challenges while shaping the future of mobility. 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. We are pleased to contribute to this feasibility study with our operational expertise, airport infrastructure knowledge, and stakeholder relationships to help evaluate and develop a framework for safe, reliable, and scalable eVTOL operations,” says Ramesh Mamidala, Head of Cargo, Air India.
Tomohiro Fukuzawa
“Since our founding, SkyDrive has been dedicated to transforming the future of transportation through the aerial mobility revolution. We are incredibly proud to partner with Air India and Suzuki to take a step toward medical logistics a sector where every second counts and lives can be saved. In India, where chronic congestion is a pressing issue, utilising eVTOLs for advanced medical logistics including the transport of high-value, time-critical medical supplies will reshape medical infrastructure. We will work dedicatedly to contribute to saving as many lives as possible,” says Tomohiro Fukuzawa, Founder and CEO of SkyDrive.
“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)’. We believe it has the potential to play a role in supporting medical infrastructure in urban areas. Under our corporate slogan, ‘By Your Side,’ Suzuki will continue to provide diverse mobility options tailored to customers’ needs and contribute to regional development. By collaborating with a wide range of mobility companies, including SkyDrive and Air India, Suzuki aims to realise infrastructure mobility closely connected with people’s lives,” says Masao Fujitani, Executive General Manager, Next Generation Business Development, Suzuki Motor Corporation.
