Kanika Tekriwal, the CEO and Co-founder of JetSetGo, has transformed the landscape of private jet travel in India. Recently, JetSetGo collaborated with three global aviation technology firms, Electra.aero, Overair, and Horizon Aircraft to bring Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) solutions to India for introducing Air Taxi. According to JetSetGo’s founder, AAM is a global phenomenon with many new designers and manufacturers working on new aircraft designs, and many additional companies are working on the infrastructure and supporting technologies that will be required to bring about this revolution in air travel. Tekriwal tells Anamika Sinha in an exclusive interview all about Advanced Air Mobility and the latest aviation technologies JetSetGo is going to use.
Could you please tell us what Advanced Air Mobility Technology is and the current state of this in India?
Advanced Air Mobility refers to the application of new technologies in development that promise a new era of more sustainable, low or no-emission air travel services. Technology developments in three main areas are driving this new opportunity: a) propulsion technology that utilizes electric power through advanced battery technology or hybrid power, and possibly eventually hydrogen fuels, b) new lift system designs that enable vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) or very short take-off and landing (eSTOL), and c) advanced avionics and aircraft flight controls that enable flying in complex and congested environments such as urban airspace, and potentially in the longer term, autonomous flight.
The combination of these technological advancements has led to a wave of new aircraft designs that offer the promise of large-scale air taxi and regional connectivity services for short-haul regional and urban air mobility services. It is also potentially transforming the speed and accessibility of point-to-point travel for a variety of use cases, such services would enable no or low-emission flights and a very low noise impact on the environment.
JetSetGo has already announced agreements with three leading AAM aircraft developers namely Electro.aero, Overair, and Horizon Aircraft for future fleet orders, along with Interglobe and Fly Blade also announcing their own plans.
Could you elaborate on the potential benefits that Advanced Air Mobility solutions would bring to the Indian transportation landscape, particularly in terms of environmental sustainability and urban mobility?
The application of pure electric power through battery technology offers the promise of carbon-free flights, along with other pollutants. This, of course, depends on how the electricity is generated that charges the batteries, so it can only be truly emissions-free if it is renewable electricity. Current battery technology limits these aircraft to ranges of typically up to 160km, so their application is for use cases within urban air mobility and airport to downtown connectivity.
Hybrid-electric power utilizes a turbo-generator to generate electric charge to power the motors. If that generator uses Jet-A fuel, it is not emissions-free, but it offers the potential to reduce emissions by as much as 50%. If the fuel used is sustainable aviation fuel, then the emissions are much further reduced and could be emissions-free if the SAF used is produced sustainably using renewable energy. Hybrid-powered aircraft can also achieve a much longer range, typically up to 800km. Their useful application is therefore broader in terms of potential use cases, as they can meet the needs of both urban air mobility and regional air mobility, flying routes that connect cities and towns to each other as well as points within urban centers.
For introducing Air Taxis in India, it will also need ‘vertiports’. Does JetSetGo have enough infrastructure for vertiports in India for a seamless travel experience? How do you think air-taxi-style services will change things around?
For urban air mobility, a new network of vertiports and charging infrastructure will be needed to support eVTOL operations, and this is a major challenge to be overcome before widely available urban air taxi services can be realized. There are some existing heliports available in most major Indian cities, they are insufficient for scalable urban air mobility services, and do not have the electrical charging stations needed for eVTOLs.
JetSetGo is working closely with a range of partners to bring that about, and much collaborative effort is needed with industry and government working closely together. That said, for regional air mobility, much of the existing infrastructure in airports, air traffic management and supporting services can be utilized to make an early start on getting AAM aircraft and hybrid-powered eVTOLs into operation at the earliest possible date. Having selected two hybrid-electric aircraft designs, JetSetGo is well-placed to be in the forefront of these early service initiatives, whilst solutions to the big challenges of urban infrastructure are being developed.
How does JetSetGo plan to collaborate with local stakeholders, such as government bodies and urban planners, to ensure the seamless integration of Air Taxi services into existing transportation networks?
As discussed, widespread collaboration is the only way forward to achieve the vision and ambitions of AAM and urban air mobility in particular. The ecosystem will require solutions from a range of different innovators from industry, and a strategic partnership with government at national, regional, and municipal levels, from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, state government, and city planners all needing to be part of the decision-making process.
We are greatly encouraged by the feedback we have already had from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA, and their ambition to see India become a leader in AAM solutions.
How much do you think Advanced Air Mobility Products are secure, safe, and accessible, and what strategies is JetSetGo executing for the same, and how is it going to impact the Aviation Industry in India?
Simply put, AAM products and services WILL be secure, safe, and accessible, or they will not be launched. There is no alternative in aviation to ensuring that the highest possible standards of safety and security are set and adhered to. This is why the story of aviation has been such a great success. Safety and security, and a strict regulatory framework, has been the foundations on which the global aviation industry has been built. It will be no different for AAM.