Indian-American doctor’s company to start making flying taxis & drones in India by 2025

NEW DELHI: Air taxis made by Indian-American doctor-turned-businessman Chirinjeev Kathuria — who was the first desi to run for US Senate in 2004 — could be among the first to fly in India within the next four years. His Jaunt Air Mobility had last year tied up with L&T Technology Services Ltd to develop this urban air mobility (UAM) solution and recently bagged an order for up to 250 air taxis from an Indian chopper operator. Now he has set his eyes on making these futuristic vehicles in India by 2025 both for the country and regional market.

One of the doctor’s companies makes the RQ-35 Heidrun intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drone currently being used in Ukraine. These drones could also be made in India from next year for the defence market, the Delhi-born Dr Kathuria told TOI from Chicago on Sunday.

“I did my doctorate of medicine from Brown University and then MBA from Stanford University but aerospace has always been my first love. I never practiced medicine but started sectoral companies, including two publicly listed in the US. In 1999, I started a commercial company to launch and fund manned space programmes. The foray into unmanned aerial vehicles was made seven years back. But whatever I did, my heart has always been in India. In mid-1990s, I helped set up the first US investment bank office in India and served in Morgan Stanley here. Even now I keep asking myself can we do something in India,” Dr Kathuria said.

Jaunt air taxis are expected to begin flying after getting certification from Canadian and American aviation regulators by 2026-27.

“The first manufacturing unit is in the US and the second will be in India. We hope to start manufacturing them in both the countries by 2025. Heidrun drone production could start in India from next year itself. Our plans for India are immediate and not some distant future,” he said.

Dr Kathuria’s engineer father and doctor mother moved to the US when he was eight months old. But every summer they would bring him to spend time in Delhi and Chandigarh so that he remains close to his roots, something which did indeed happen.

“My grandfather was among those who helped set up state trading corporation. My father played a key role in establishing the US-India Export Promotion Council. When I came to India in the mid 1990s to work in Morgan Stanley, I saw the ‘cowboys’ of Indian business who were starting their businesses like Bharti Airtel’s Sunil Mittal and Uday Kotak and worked on the first GDR of some of the biggest companies here. India’s potential is immense and we have huge plans for the country,” he said.

So what is the next target for someone who has straddled across sectors like healthcare and aerospace? “My mother has told me that getting married should now be a priority for me. I have promised her that one-third of my time will be spent looking after my existing companies, one-third on my emerging businesses and one-third on looking for a partner,” he said.

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