Skyways to the Future: Operational Concepts for Advanced Air Mobility in India

The report outlines a strategic roadmap for deploying advanced air mobility (AAM) in India, focusing on the development of vertiport networks, integrated airspace management, and economic viability. It proposes a three-phased implementation approach—planning, infrastructure development, and commercial scaling—supported by a sandbox environment for risk mitigation. The document emphasizes the potential for AAM to alleviate urban congestion in cities like Bengaluru and improve rural connectivity through the 'Advanced and short-haul air mobility for all' (ASHA) initiative. Key technical recommendations include the use of dynamically delegated corridors for airspace management and the adoption of digital public infrastructure (DPI) to ensure equitable access.

• India's urban congestion causes significant economic losses; for example, a 2018 study in Bengaluru estimated that 700,000 productive hours were lost due to lateness, resulting in a financial cost of INR 11.7 billion.
• AAM is positioned as a more viable alternative to the previous helicopter market in India due to lower operational costs, reduced land acquisition challenges by utilizing existing rooftops, and evolving evidence-based regulations.
• The report proposes a '4-V' vertiport topology to accommodate different capacity needs: Verge (small-scale/rooftop), Vantage (medium-scale/multimodal hubs), Vista (high-volume commercial), and Vertex (minimalist/remote).
• Airspace management for AAM in India should utilize existing airspace classes and implement dynamically delegated corridors (DDCs) that can be adjusted in real-time based on weather and traffic density.
• The report advocates for the creation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for airspace management to ensure the system remains open, democratized, and safe, utilizing open-source software to reduce costs and increase reliability.
• Economic viability for AAM in India will depend on diverse pricing strategies: value-based pricing for urban early adopters, government subsidies (similar to the UDAN scheme) for rural connectivity, and dynamic or subscription models for mid-income commuters.
• Battery costs are a major economic factor, with approximately 40% of the total product cost attributed to the battery and its components; the report suggests using 'second-life' batteries for non-aviation applications to reduce waste.
• A three-phased implementation approach is recommended: Phase 1 focuses on research and regulatory frameworks; Phase 2 on infrastructure and pilot programs; and Phase 3 on commercial launch and scaling.
• The report emphasizes the necessity of a 'sandbox environment' to test technologies and operational procedures in a controlled setting before full-scale deployment to mitigate safety and operational risks.
• The role of the pilot is expected to evolve over time from onboard operation to remote supervision, moving through levels of automation from human-in-the-loop (HITL) to human-over-the-loop (HOVTL).

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). Skyways to the Future: Operational Concepts for Advanced Air Mobility in India. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Skyways_to_the_Future_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Skyways to the Future: Operational Concepts for Advanced Air Mobility in India. 2024. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Skyways_to_the_Future_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Skyways to the Future: Operational Concepts for Advanced Air Mobility in India |date=November 2024 |url=https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Skyways_to_the_Future_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024skyways, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Skyways to the Future: Operational Concepts for Advanced Air Mobility in India}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = nov, url = {https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Skyways_to_the_Future_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }