ePlane partners with Dubai’s Empire Aviation Group for global expansion
India-based electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer, ePlane, has forged a strategic partnership with Dubai-based integrated business aviation solutions provider, Empire Aviation Group.
The companies aim to expedite the deployment of air taxis and air ambulances across India and international markets including UAE, Indonesia, and Thailand.
Furthermore, this follows ePlane’s recent deal with Bengaluru-based ICATT to deploy 766 air ambulances across all districts in India.
Empire Aviation Group will leverage its expertise in aviation operations, including safety protocols, SOPs, and fleet management, to ensure smooth market entry for ePlane’s e200 eVTOL aircraft.
Strategic partnership
Paras P. Dhamecha, Founder and Managing Director of Empire Aviation Group, noted, “Since 2007, Empire Aviation has been focusing on business aviation with a mission to increase corporate use of private jets for business travel and we have developed into a truly global business.”
He added, “As the market for urban air mobility continues to take greater importance, Empire Aviation has entered into a strategic partnership with ePlane to provide our inputs in the development, certification, operational, and customer experience aspects of the eVTOL. Prof. Satya and his team have embarked on a very ambitious project, and we are confident that we can collaborate together at multiple levels to take this engagement even further.”
On his part, Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, CEO of ePlane, said, “This collaboration with Empire Aviation Group is a significant advancement towards realising the potential of eVTOLs across a global market. By combining our patented technology with Empire’s operational expertise across multiple geographies, we are confident in our ability to deliver safe, efficient, and reliable urban air mobility solutions.”
Looking ahead, as the eVTOL ecosystem evolves, both companies expect to expand their partnership, covering maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, regulatory engagement, and infrastructure development.
Further commercial and licensing agreements will be announced in due course.
Founded in 2019, ePlane is the only eVTOL manufacturer in India to gain Design Organisation Approval (DOA).
e200 has a range of 110 km, a maximum speed of 200 km/h, and can accommodate two passengers or carry a payload of up to 200 kg.
Moreover, ePlane aims to commence commercial operations by the latter half of the fiscal year 2025-26 (FY26) and is targeting an initial production capacity of 100 units a year.