Rooftop Flights Takeoff and Landing in Urban Cities

According to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), utilizing building rooftops for the take-off and landing of air taxis can help reduce traffic congestion and shorten travel time in major cities. In its report titled “Navigating the Future of Advanced Air Mobility in India,” CII highlighted that electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and air taxis are rapidly developing within the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) ecosystem. Using rooftops for take-offs and landings can mitigate infrastructure constraints and allow the system to operate efficiently.

The report also suggested that financial institutions could explore specialized financing options, such as venture leasing and infrastructure funding, tailored to different sectors of AAM. In metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, leveraging building rooftops for air taxi operations presents a viable solution. Commercial complexes, hospitals, tech parks and residential towers could serve as primary take-off and landing sites.

Current regulations do not permit conventional commercial vertical take-offs and landings from rooftops. These rules need to be revised to accommodate AAM operations. The rooftops could also be used for drones, emergency medical supply deliveries, organ transport, and air ambulance services. The report further analyzed the feasibility of AAM implementation in India using a 65–75 km corridor connecting Gurugram near Delhi to the upcoming Jewar Gateway. All these locations fall within the National Capital Region (NCR), with the Noida International Airport in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, set to commence operations soon.