Urban-Air Port and Nalwa Aero, an Indian eVTOL developer, have announced a partnership to enter the Indian market, marking Urban-Air Port’s first collaboration with an Indian eVTOL OEM. This alliance aims to develop purpose-built, scalable, and multi-modal infrastructure to support India’s rapidly expanding aviation market, aligning with government policies and the growing demand for air travel, said the companies in a press release.
The agreement establishes Nalwa Aero as one of Urban-Air Port’s preferred VTOL Partners in India, while Urban-Air Port becomes Nalwa Aero’s preferred Infrastructure partner. “Together, the companies will accelerate the development of India’s AAM ecosystem, unlocking in-line-of-sight business opportunities by combining Nalwa Aero’s innovative NALWA 5X eVTOL aircraft with Urban-Air Port’s cutting-edge vertiport infrastructure,” said the release.
“The collaboration will capitalise on India’s burgeoning aviation sector, where air travel penetration is currently low (10-15% of the population fly annually). With India’s aviation market projected to grow to 480 million passengers by 2036 and an estimated market value of $25 – $40 billion by 2030-2033, the partnership aligns with initiatives like the government’s UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) program and plans for helipads along highways.”
The partners will pursue opportunities under the Indian government’s plan to develop 1,000 helipads and drone zones every 50km along national highways, positioning Nalwa Aero and Urban-Air Port as key contributors to India’s AAM ambitions.
The partners say they will advance vehicle and infrastructure R&D, with Nalwa Aero designing the NALWA 5X eVTOL and Urban-Air Port developing customised & use-case-specific vertiports.
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