Magnum Wings completes unmanned air taxi flight trial

Guntur: Magnum Wings, a start-up firm which has been waiting in the wings with experiments on its air taxi, has announced the successful completion of the unmanned flight trial of the V2 2.0 electric air taxi prototype developed in Andhra Pradesh. Addressing a news conference here on Thursday, Magnum Wings managing director Abhiram Chava said the successful flight trial marked a major milestone for the company and positioned Magnum Wings as the first company in India to publicly demonstrate flying air taxi technology.He recalled that the company had successfully demonstrated the structural testing of the V2 platform in the past. “We have now completed the full-scale unmanned flight trial on the same V2 2.0 platform,” he said. According to the company, only a few firms globally have developed flying air taxi platforms and advanced them to the flight stage. “It is a matter of pride for our team that Magnum Wings from Andhra Pradesh has joined that select global list from India,” Abhiram said.The V2 2.0 is an electric air mobility vehicle designed for short-distance urban and regional transportation. The current prototype has been developed with an endurance capability of around 45 minutes and an operational range of nearly 30 kilometres. The company said its next phase would focus on certification procedures and manned flight trials. Human flight testing will begin after securing all necessary regulatory approvals, safety clearances and certification processes. “We are moving ahead, intending to launch initial services by the end of this year after obtaining all mandatory approvals,” Abhiram stated. He said the advanced air mobility sector could emerge as a major industrial opportunity for Andhra Pradesh. According to him, the sector has the potential to create thousands of high-skill jobs across aircraft manufacturing, battery systems, electronics, composites, software, testing, maintenance, training and operations.Magnum Wings is also working towards deploying electric air mobility services in sectors such as air taxis, emergency mobility, medical transport, tourism, industrial mobility and regional connectivity in the future. The company believes electric air mobility could play a significant role in transforming short-distance transportation while positioning Andhra Pradesh as a hub for emerging aviation technologies in India.