SRM-AP Students Unveil Indigenous Air Taxi Prototype

The prototype, conceptualised, designed and developed by Team Skyworks, was unveiled at the university campus on Friday with a successful live flight demonstration. The event was attended by AP State Quantum Mission director C.V. Sridhar, SRM University-AP vice-chancellor Prof. Ch. Satish Kumar, dean (Research) Prof. Ranjit Thapa, faculty members and students.

Developed by a team of 10 B.Tech students under the guidance of Dr Pradyut Kumar Sanki, associate professor and coordinator of the Centre for Drone Technology (CDT), DOXI is a modular electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Built on a lightweight carbon-fibre frame with a 16-motor electric propulsion system, the prototype can carry a payload of up to 80 kg. During trials, it demonstrated stable vertical take-off and landing, achieved a top speed of 50 kmph, remained airborne for 25 minutes, and has an estimated operating cost of `3.50 per kilometre.

The university said the air taxi could be used for urban air mobility, air ambulance services, emergency response, disaster relief and aerial surveys. The project integrates aerospace engineering, embedded systems, artificial intelligence, automated flight control and communication technologies.

Congratulating the students, C.V. Sridhar said the innovation had immense practical potential for applications ranging from infrastructure and forest surveys to rescue operations, besides reflecting the growing collaboration between academia and emerging technologies.

Vice-chancellor Prof. Ch. Satish Kumar described the project as a reflection of the university's philosophy of "Imagine, Innovate, Prototype and Launch" and encouraged students to pursue cutting-edge research.