About the Author: Santosh Ajjarapu, I’m a UI/UX designer with experience in product design and testing. Creating seamless and delightful experiences for users by empathizing with them excites me. While doing so, I ensure that business goals are achieved. Apart from designing experiences, I enjoy reading books, writing fiction, travelling and gardening. Conversations about sustainability, history, lifestyles and digital products & services draw my attention. You can reach out to me on LinkedIn

Why is urban air commute an option to explore in Indian metro cities?

Airports in India are slowly being relocated to the suburbs – outskirts of the cities. It has happened in Bengaluru & Hyderabad and its happening in Mumbai & Chennai. It shall continue to happen in other Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities. The reason being that the current functional airports in the midst of the cities are hampering the growth and infrastructure development and also significantly contributing to the traffic congestion of the city.

Now, the average distance between the airports and the city is 30kms and in some cases it goes beyond 80kms.

With airports being constructed out of the cities, even in Tier-1 cities, its not feasible to have proper commute channels. Although Airport shuttle buses and metro trains in some cities serve, commuters prefer cab services.

In Tier-2 cities, financial hubs are being developed away from the Airport and anyone who wishes to travel between the Airport and the city should find their way through busy traffic.

With increase in travel time to Airports from the city, government and few companies are looking to explore Air-Taxis. This idea excited me and I wished to explore it further.

I read the book “Simply Fly – A Deccan Odyssey” by Capt. G.R.Gopinath, the founder of Deccan Air. The movies Soorarai Pottru / Aakasam Nee Haddura / Sarfira are inspired from this book. Around 20 years back, the aviation company used helicopters as Air-Taxis. For whatever reasons, the company ceased its operations couple of years later. But, the use-cases and the examples mentioned in the book were fascinating.

In early 2000’s, Deccan Air used their helicopters as Air-Taxis for intercity transit, to reach resorts in remote locations for holidays, as air ambulance and many more. After going through so many use cases and beautiful stories of Air-Taxis and with the recent news of government giving a nod for the usage of VTOLs for urban commute, I thought of working on a case study to explore the feasibility of Air-Taxis at Hyderabad, where I live.

The Urban Mobility Challenge

Hyderabad International Airport is located in Shamshabad, in the southern part of the city. It sees around 60,000 commuters and 10,000 cars entering its terminals daily. City residents travel 30 to 80 kilometers to reach the airport, with travel times ranging from 45 minutes to 3 hours during peak hours, sometimes as long as the flight duration itself.

This project envisions a faster, more convenient airport transport mode with the potential to expand to other city routes.

Understanding the Locales of Hyderabad

Hyderabad’s commercial and residential hubs are widely dispersed across the city. Major commercial hubs include Secunderabad, Banjara Hills, Hitech City, and the Financial District.

There are two prominent ways for the commuters to reach the airport:

• To get onto the Outer Ring Road (ORR) – mostly used by the commuters travelling from Hitech City, Financial district, Kukatpally etc – which are the commercial and residential zones spread on the perimeters of the city. Travelling on ORR attracts toll fares.
• To take the PV Narasimha Rao Expressway – an elevated express way which starts from Mehdipatnam (the central hub of the city). It is used by commuters who live in the central parts of city. Such as Jubilee Hills, Begumpet, Secunderabad etc.

The distance to airport from the financial and residential hubs varies from 30 to 80 kms. Based on the distance, the average commute time from these hubs to Hyderabad airport comes in a range of 45 mins hours in non-peak hours. In peak hours, it might go as high as 2.5-3 hours.

Now, for someone who has to catch a 6.00 AM flight in the morning, and has to reach the airport at 4.30 AM for security checks, they will have to start from their place atleast at 3.30 AM.

To catch a 12.00 PM flight, and has to reach the airport at 10.30 AM, the commuter should start at 8 AM or take the longer and expensive toll routes.

• Business Travellers: Business community in Hyderabad usually stay in areas such as Financial District, Kokapet, Gachibowli and use in ORR toll road for commuting to Airport. Localities such as Jubilee Hills, Banjara hills, Begumpet etc. also has this user group who would prefer PV Narasimha Rao Expressway to commute to airport. They would often use cabs to reach airport.
• Frequent Flyers: Frequent flyers in Hyderabad usually live in localities such as Shamshabad, Manikonda, Financial District, Gachibowli, Kondapur, LB Nagar and they extensively use ORR toll road to commute to airport. Cabs and airport shuttle services would be their preferred modes of commute.
• Families: Families in Hyderabad are spread across the city. Families living in Miyapur, Kukatpally, Kompally use ORR toll road to commute to airport. For residents of Secunderabad, Begumpet, AS Rao Nagar, PV Narasimharao Expressway is a better option to reach the airport. Residents of Uppal, Dilsukhnagar, Malakpet etc, use internal roads connecting to airport for commute. Considering more number of travellers, Cab services are the preferred option for their commute to airport.

Different user groups have unique requirements based on their travel needs, preferences, and constraints. While some prioritize speed and convenience, others may require seamless connectivity, luggage handling, or accessibility features. Ensuring a smooth experience for all users requires a well-integrated system that adapts to diverse needs.

Key pain points in existing commute channels

The key pain points in existing commute channels are:

• Traffic congestion in peak hours that effect public transit and cab movements.
• Cab fares with dynamic pricing, that shoot up during peak hours and also if toll road is accessed.
• Uncertain travel time due to variability in traffic conditions.

The Air-Taxi Solution

Air-taxis offer a faster and more convenient urban commute solution. Initially, they can operate as scheduled hourly services on busy routes like airport connections, with expansion to other routes as per demand. Lightweight Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircrafts are a perfect fit as Air-Taxis. They’re like flying cars designed for short urban routes.

VTOLs operate between vertiports which are compact helipads with front desks, refuelling facilities, and commuter amenities. They can be installed on rooftops, open spaces, or reinforced helipads.

Most VTOLs are either hydrogen-fueled, or electric, which are called eVTOLs. eVTOLs are suitable for cities due to their low noise levels and zero emissions.

A little more about eVTOLs in India

The city of Benguluru is soon going to get Air-Taxi service for the commuters to reach airport. For this purpose, eVTOLs are going to be used. Here are a few insights of the vehicles being built:

• Can accommodate 4-6 passengers and one pilot
• Are fully electric
• Can travel 160 km in full charge and can fly at 250 kmph maximum speed
• Time taken to cover 50 km is around 20 minutes
• In fast charging mode, they can be charged to 80% in 30–60 minutes
• Batteries can operate for up to 1,600 fast-charging cycles per year. i.e around 4 fast charges per day
• They can fly at night, with landing pad lights
• Max altitude they can reach is 3.5km
• Proposed fare for ride is on par with premium cab pricing
• Prototypes capable of carrying payloads of 500 kgs over distances exceeding 100 kilometers are built

Competitor Analysis

Ideation

From the competitor analysis, its evident that as the Air-Taxi service is a premium service, convenience is the differentiating factor. Now, to determine the factors of convenience, lets list down the key stages in the commute.

Now, lets list down the convenience factors at each stage:

1. Ticket booking
   • Real-time availability of seats on mobile app
   • Availability of multiple payment gateways
   • Ability to request on-demand ride in case of emergency or bulk bookings
   • Ability to include special requests – such as wheel-chair, ear-plugs, additional luggage etc.
   • Ability to book the ride that matches the flight schedule
   • Discounted prices for frequent flyers or bulk bookings
2. Reach Vertiport for departure
   • Ease of access to vertiports
   • Integrated transport options – availability of public transport or cab services to reach vertiport

3. Check-In
   • Ability to find the Check-In counter near the vertiport – with proper signboards
   • Ease of access to vertiports without having to take stairway
   • Paperless checkin through QR code scanning
   • Walk-in ticket purchase at the vertiport
   • Luggage scanning and security checks during Check-In
   • Ability to pay for excess luggage to receive them in the same ride or alternate arrangements
   • Comfortable waiting area after check-in with washrooms, Wi-Fi service, refreshments, dustbins and any other special needs
   • Display screen to indicate the Air-Taxi schedules
   • Availability of first-aid kit incase of emergency
4. On-board
   • Special requests such as wheelchair access, earplugs etc
   • Luggage onboarding
5. Travel
   • Real-time travel updates
   • Ability to raise alarm
   • Availability of first-aid kit incase of emergency

6. Arrival at Vertiport
   • The vertiport at the airport should either be at a walking distance from the terminal or should have shuttle services to reach the terminal
7. De-board
   • Special requests such as wheelchair access
   • Availability of first-aid kit incase of emergency
   • Luggage deboarding & transfer to terminal
   • Directions to reach the airport terminal
8. Reach Airport Terminal
   • Helpdesk, washrooms, Wi-Fi service, refreshments, dustbins and any other special needs at the vertiport
   • Dedicated spots near vertiport to onboard airport shuttle services to reach the terminal
   • Luggage pickup from airport terminal (if chosen)
   • In-app assistance to navigate to terminal or luggage pickup counter

If the Air-Taxi service is cancelled for whatever reason, commuters expect for an alternate commute channel to reach the airport.

Stakeholder analysis & mapping

Considering that convenience is the key differentiator in Air-Taxi services, commuters often look for ease of accessing vertiports and accommodating on-ground support. Vertiports are better placed on high rise buildings for easier operations. So, the high rise buildings which are easy to access for commuters and already has helipads or can accommodate vertiports can be:

• Commercial spaces / office complexes
• Residential spaces
• Star hotels
• Shopping malls

Commercial spaces could be vast enough and unfamiliar for the commuters to reach the vertiport. Also, there would be restrictions on outsiders into certain areas. In residential spaces, the movement of commuters might raise safety concerns among the residents.

Considering the ease of access, familiar topography and hospitable ground-staff, of all the available options, star hotels seem to be a good options to explore for launching Air-Taxi services.

Analyzing Hyderabad’s key hubs reveals two optimal routes:

1. Airport to Kompally, passing through Banjara Hills and Secunderabad.
2. Airport to Miyapur, via Hitech City.

These routes connect major residential and commercial centers to the airport, ensuring accessibility and convenience for commuters.

Although Financial District and Manikonda are major commercial and residential hubs, their close proximity to Outer Ring Road (ORR) makes it a better option for airport commuters initially. So, these locations were not considered while planning the route map for launch.

In the selected areas, the requirement for properties is to be a star hotel which is easily accessible to commuters. After scouting for suitable properties that can accommodate the service, a list of the properties are made:

• Novotel Hyderabad Airport, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad
• ITC Kohenur, Hitech City
• Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills
• Hyderabad Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre, Secunderabad
• Minerva Grand, Kompally
• My Home Raka, Miyapur – a 30+ floored standalone gated community.

Miyapur and Kukatpally are prime residential locations of Hyderabad. As no suitable star hotel with a provision to land an aircraft is found here, a gated community had to be chosen. This location would be easily accessible to the residents of Miyapur, Bachupally, Kondapur & Kukatpally.

A connected network of elite spaces

• An Air-Taxi route from Minerva Grand in Kompally to Novotel in Airport, via Marriott in Secunderabad and Taj Krishna in Banjara Hills is feasible.
• Another route from My Home Raka in Miyapur to Novotel Airport via ITC Kohenur is also possible.
• Novotel Airport, located near the terminals can offer complimentary shuttle services, enhancing commuter convenience.

Launching the vertiports in elite spaces ensures well maintenance and a steady flow of commuters for Air-Taxi’s. The service can be launched with two dedicated Air-Taxi’s for the two routes and can expand on demand.

Now, zeroing properties for establishing vertiports, the stakeholders of the Air-Taxi service can be the following:

Primary Stakeholders:

• Commuters (Business travellers, frequent flyers, families)
• Pilots
• Ground staff
• Vertiport owners (managing bodies of star hotels or properties being used)

Secondary Stakeholders:

• Regulatory authorities (DGCA, municipal corporations)
• App developers & digital service providers
• Logistic providers for last-mile connectivity and cargo transit

Tertiary Stakeholders

• Local residents near vertiports
• Digital & offline media.

Diving deep into the stakeholders and their objectives.

Diving deep into the stakeholders and their objectives.

Engagement Plans for Key stakeholders

• Commuters
  • Conduct mock trails of eVTOLS to clear questions on safety concerns.
  • The frequency of using a standalone mobile application for Air-Taxi booking might be minimal. So, integrate the application along with flight ticket booking apps. This will bring visibility of the service for initial target users.
  • As the primary objective of the commuters is convenience and time, indicate the commute time saved to the user.
  • Business commuters might have to take calls during commute, so they prefer to have silent surroundings. So, the vertiports and rides shall maintain a silent concierge system, without any announcements on speakers.
  • Quick in-app feedback form after completing the ride. Physical feedback forms at vertiports.
  • Vertiports in commercial hubs need about 4 Sound-proof workpods with Wi-Fi, charging services, a table to place laptop.

• Pilots & Ground staff
  • Conduct periodic sessions on safety, new protocols and navigation.
  • Informed schedules with enough time for planning.
  • Encourage to have regular discussions and feedback forums.
• Logistic providers (cabs, buses & cargo vans)
  • The engagement plans should assure the logistic providers that their market is not going to be eaten up by Air-Taxi service, but they are going to be a crucial part of the service by supporting the last-mile connectivity.
  • Include the cab & cargo service providers as trusted partners in the Air-Taxi ticket booking app and include their brand identity (Eg: Ola/Uber for cabs and Porter for cargo).

Services to be provided

After analysing the stakeholders objectives, their challenges and deciding on their engagement plans, these could be the services that should be provided:

• Ability to book Air-Taxi tickets on an app and at vertiport – with and without flight ticket PNR number.
• Ability to include special requests – such as wheel-chair, ear-plugs, additional luggage etc. Ability to choose luggage pickup location
• Ability to book Air-Taxi ticket while booking flight ticket
• Ability to book cab services to and from vertiports
• Discounted pricing for subscribers and bulk bookings
• Signboards at the properties to indicate directions to the vertiports
• QR code & Ticket ID based check-in at vertiports
• Security and luggage check at vertiports
• Individual workpods at vertiports to take quick calls
• Washrooms, Wi-Fi service, refreshments, dustbins etc
• Display screen to indicate the Air-Taxi schedules
• Availability of first-aid kit & fire extinguisher incase of emergency
• Ability to raise alarm at vertiport and also in the Air-Taxi
• At the vertiport near airport – Helpdesk, washrooms, Wi-Fi service, workpods, refreshments, dustbins and any other special needs.
• Dedicated spots near airport’s vertiport to onboard airport shuttle services to reach the terminal
• Luggage pickup from airport terminal (if chosen)
• In-app assistance to navigate to terminal or luggage pickup counter

Mobile App Wireframes & Mockups

Finding Air-Taxi ride