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In focus
- Why air taxis are still grounded for now
- Servify, whose customers include Apple, Samsung, and Lenovo, has raised a flat funding round
- Reread our archived piece on how China took the lead in Indonesia’s EV market
Hello reader,
Following the crash of Air India flight 171 last year, conversations about airline safety dominated headlines for months. While one person miraculously survived the tragedy, the crash claimed 260 lives, including 241 passengers and all crew members.
I have always been an uneasy flyer, but traveling after the accident pushed my anxiety to another level. Even today, a bit of turbulence is enough to bring back the jitters.
That feeling stayed with me while reporting on our recent piece on air taxis, which we spotlight today. Beyond questions of technology, regulation, or cost, what stood out for me was the trust in these aircraft.
Early visions of air taxis imagined fully autonomous vehicles, something passengers would effectively drive through the air and land themselves. That idea feels wild to me, and maybe even companies have realized it. Air taxi companies have shifted to pilot-operated flights, an acknowledgement that public confidence is fragile.
Even with a trained pilot onboard, it will take years of reassurance before people, myself included, feel comfortable stepping into an air taxi. The technology may be close, but trust could be the industry’s biggest hurdle long after commercial flights begin.
In other news, India-based Servify has scooped up US$5 million at a flat valuation and is in talks to raise additional funding from domestic and international investors.
Samreen Ahmad, journalist
Top Stories
1️⃣ Why air taxis need to solve real-world problems to take off
Photo credit: The ePlane Company
The real hurdle with air taxis is not flying the aircraft. The issue is earning certification, building infrastructure while keeping costs down, and winning public trust. While companies like Joby and Archer in the US are eyeing launches around the 2028 Olympics, others such as India’s The ePlane Company are turning to niche uses like air ambulances.
The result is a reset in expectations. Commercial air taxis may be launched soon, but mass adoption looks several years away.
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