Air India has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japanese eVTOL developer SkyDrive and Suzuki Motor Corporation to study the feasibility of using electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for medical air logistics in India.
The three companies will assess the potential for eVTOL aircraft to support last-mile emergency medical logistics, particularly in major Indian cities where road congestion can delay the movement of time-critical medical supplies.
Under the proposed collaboration, SkyDrive will bring its eVTOL technology, while Air India will contribute operational expertise, knowledge of airport infrastructure and stakeholder relationships. Suzuki will provide its understanding of the Indian market as the partners evaluate a framework for safe, reliable and scalable operations.
The agreement marks Air India's move into the emerging advanced air mobility space, although the initiative remains at the feasibility-study stage and no timeline for commercial deployment has been announced.
Cutting Medical Transit Times
Ramesh Mamidala, Head of Cargo at Air India, said advanced air mobility could become an extension of India's transport ecosystem as the country's aviation market expands. "The potential application of eVTOL aircraft for medical air logistics is particularly compelling because it combines technology and purpose," Mamidala said, adding that reducing transit times could prove critical in medical logistics.
Air India will use its operational capabilities and knowledge of airport infrastructure to assess how eVTOL operations could be integrated into the existing aviation ecosystem.
SkyDrive, Suzuki India Push
SkyDrive Founder and CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa said the partnership would explore the movement of high-value and time-critical medical supplies through eVTOL aircraft in a market where urban congestion remains a major challenge.
Suzuki, meanwhile, already has an established partnership with SkyDrive. The companies began collaborating on the business and technology of eVTOL aircraft in 2022, followed by Suzuki investments and a manufacturing cooperation agreement.
Their India plans have also been developing separately from the latest Air India agreement. Suzuki said in July 2025 that the companies were focusing on India as part of their overseas market development, while SkyDrive had agreed in January 2025 to a pre-order for 50 SKYDRIVE aircraft from Indian private jet operator JetSetGo.
Masao Fujitani, Executive General Manager, Next Generation Business Development at Suzuki Motor Corporation, said eVTOL aircraft could support medical infrastructure in urban areas and expand mobility options suited to local requirements.
The feasibility study will now examine whether the technology and operational capabilities of the three companies can be combined to develop a viable medical air logistics model for India.
Source: https://www.businessworld.in/article/air-india-skydrive-suzuki-sign-pact-to-explore-evtol-medical-logistics-in-india-617476
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