 "BluJ Aero, Blade India sign deal for sustainable regional aviation")
BluJ Aero, which makes long-range vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, and Blade India, an urban air mobility company, have formed a partnership for promoting regional aviation in a sustainable manner.
Blade India will purchase 60 VTOL aircraft, including 50 BluJ REACH cargo and 10 BluJ HOP passenger planes, from BluJ Aero.
BluJ REACH, which is meant for mid-mile logistics, is an unmanned aircraft with a target range of up to 300-km, a 100-kg payload capacity and about 12-16 hours of uptime, facilitating same-day deliveries across underserved areas in India. BluJ HOP is a piloted H2eVTOL designed for quiet and economical regional passenger travel.
The aircraft leverage BluJ Aero’s proprietary technologies to offer maximum range, payload, and uptime efficiency at minimum noise and emission, said the company in a statement. They are quieter, more efficient, and environmentally friendly.
“We are thrilled to couple our operational expertise with BluJ Aero’s aircraft redefine the landscape of regional mobility in India, enabling aerial access to regions without traditional airports and helping ease traffic at existing ones,” said Amit Dutta, managing director of Blade India.
The two companies said the partnership opens up possibilities to "access previously untapped and underserved regions for cargo and passenger mobility". It will create new job opportunities within the aviation sector.
“This collaboration with Blade India is a significant step towards commercialising sustainable aviation for regional connectivity,” said Amar Sri Vatsavaya, co-founder and chief executive officer of BluJ Aero. “We look to leverage the globally unique policies of DGCA and help in their progressive work in certification to expedite bringing indigenous innovations such as ours, to the market.
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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation released its VTOL policy in September. BluJ Aero is part of its policy working group. BluJ Aero and Blade India are part of Confederation of Indian Industry’s 'Advanced Air Mobility' task force and are committed to working closely with regulatory authorities to ensure compliance and certification towards commercialisation.
Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Hyderabad, BluJ Aero specialises in aircraft technology.
Blade India was launched in 2019 as a joint venture between Blade USA and Hunch Ventures. It is focused on short-haul urban air mobility and has a fleet of helicopters and private charters that provide services in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa and other states.