Pune: Air India, SkyDrive Inc., and Suzuki Motor Corporation have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to conduct a joint feasibility study on the use of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for medical air logistics in India.
The collaboration aims to evaluate how advanced air mobility can help address time-critical healthcare transportation challenges and strengthen India’s medical infrastructure through faster emergency logistics.
India’s major cities continue to face severe traffic congestion, creating significant hurdles for transporting time-sensitive medical supplies.
Through this partnership, Air India, SkyDrive and Suzuki will combine their respective strengths to assess the potential of eVTOL aircraft in medical air logistics, particularly for last-mile emergency medical transportation.
The feasibility study will leverage SkyDrive’s eVTOL technology, Air India’s operational expertise and Suzuki’s understanding of the Indian market.
Together, the companies will explore the implementation of advanced air mobility solutions for emergency healthcare logistics, contributing to the modernization of India’s medical infrastructure.
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Ramesh Mamidala, Head of Cargo, Air India Limited, said: “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.”
The collaboration comes as India continues to explore innovative transportation technologies capable of improving access to emergency healthcare services.
The companies believe that integrating eVTOL aircraft into medical air logistics could significantly reduce delivery times for critical medical supplies, particularly in densely populated urban regions affected by traffic congestion.
Tomohiro Fukuzawa, Founder and CEO of SkyDrive Inc., said: “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, utilizing 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.”
The companies said the feasibility study will examine how eVTOL aircraft can be deployed safely, reliably and efficiently for medical air logistics, with a focus on emergency response and last-mile healthcare transportation.
Masao Fujitani, Executive General Manager, Next Generation Business Development, 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)’.
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 realize ‘infrastructure mobility closely connected with people’s lives.'”
Through the joint feasibility study, Air India, SkyDrive and Suzuki will evaluate operational frameworks, infrastructure requirements and collaboration opportunities for deploying eVTOL aircraft in medical air logistics.
The medical air logistics initiative is intended to explore advanced mobility solutions that can support emergency healthcare transportation and improve the efficiency of medical supply delivery across India.
