Advanced air mobility startup BluJ Aero has signed its first customer MoU with short-haul urban air mobility player Blade India for 60 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Advanced air mobility startup BluJ Aero has signed its first customer MoU with short-haul urban air mobility player Blade India for 60 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
The two companies have signed an agreement that will involve the purchase of 50 BluJ REACH cargo aircraft and 10 BluJ HOP passenger aircraft, the Hyderabad based BluJ Aero said in a release on Tuesday (December 17, 2024). In October, it conducted a flight demonstration of its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft prototype.
Unmanned hydrogen-electric powered (H2eVTOL) aircraft BluJ REACH will be a game-changer for mid-mile logistics and boasts of a target range of up to 300 km, a 100-kg payload capacity and 12-16 hours of uptime, facilitating same-day deliveries across underserved areas in India.
The BluJ HOP is a piloted H2eVTOL designed for quiet, economical and safe, regional passenger travel, the Hyderabad-based startup said.
“We are thrilled to couple our operational expertise with BluJ Aero’s cutting-edge aircraft to redefine the landscape of regional mobility in India, enabling aerial access to regions without traditional airports and helping ease traffic at existing ones,” Blade India MD Amit Dutta said.
The partnership opens up possibilities to access previously untapped and underserved regions for cargo and passenger mobility, while also promising to create new job opportunities within the aviation sector and contributing to sustainable economic growth.
It is a step towards commercialising sustainable aviation for regional connectivity. “We look to leverage the globally unique policies of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and help in their progressive work in certification to expedite bringing indigenous innovations such as ours,” BluJ Aero co-founder and CEO Amar Sri Vatsavaya said.
Blade India was set up in 2019 as a joint venture between Blade USA and Hunch Ventures and its fleet includes helicopters and private charters, with services spanning Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, and beyond. It is focused on expanding offerings and adopting innovative technologies like eVTOLs to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
Published – December 18, 2024 11:25 am IST
