Lok Sabha Question No. 1444 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-13
Subject: Regulatory Framework for Advanced Air Mobility
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Dhairyasheel Sambhajirao Mane, Shri Sudheer Gupta, Shri Chavan Ravindra Vasantrao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1444

(To be answered on the 13 th  February 2025)

## REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY

1444.

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMABHAJIRAO MANE

SHRI CHAVAN RAVINDRA VASANTRAO

## Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether it is true that the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is working with International Civil Aviation Organisations (ICAO) and other civil  aviation  authorities  to  study  the  latest  changes  in  the  regulatory framework for advanced air mobility or electric air mobility and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the electric air mobility is slowly gaining momentum and many entities including a few in the country are working on electric Vertical Take Off Landing (eVTOL) aircraft and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  DGCA  has  constituted  working  groups  to  develop requirements  and  guidance  for  advanced  air  mobility;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the time by which reports of the said working groups would be available on public platform; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to study and incorporate latest changes in the regulatory framework to integrate the technologies in the national airspace?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a) to (e): ICAO has established the Advanced Air Mobility Study Group in light of rapid technological advances of new entrants and the potential impact on the aviation ecosystem. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has constituted six working groups for studying various aspects related to operation of  E-VTOL (Electric Vertical Take Off Landing) to assess and develop appropriate regulations/requirements suitable for India and has also established collaboration with ICAO, FAA & APAC (CAA Singapore) in this regard. Further, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has also been signed between European Union Safety Agency (EASA) and DGCA that focuses on collaboration on unmanned aircraft and innovative air mobility between the two civil aviation authorities. The working groups are focusing on various aspects such as Vertiports, Type Certification of Vertical take-off and landing capable aircraft (VCA), Crew Licensing, Air Operator Permits, UAS Traffic Management (UTM), and Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO). Presently, as per DGCA records, M/s Ubifly Technologies Pvt. Ltd., a Chennai based company and M/s Nalwa Aero Pvt. Ltd, a Chandigarh based

company are working on EVTOLS aircraft in civil aviation. DGCA, after consultation with various stakeholders within the country and abroad has issued Guidance material on "Type Certification of vertical takeoff  and  landing  capable  aircraft  (VCA)"  and  "Design,  Operation  and Authorization of Vertiports" so as to align with best practices available globally and these documents are available on the DGCA website. Based on the regulatory framework, vertiports, air routes and other necessary infrastructure essential for safe and efficient AAM operations would be established. The operations would be managed strategically and tactically by optimising the air traffic flow in the airspace with the use of Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management (UTM) systems along with existing Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems for de-conflicting the movements of multiple small aircraft and integrating autonomous drones in the same airspace.

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