Leveraging their combined expertise to advance air mobility solutions globally, Tata Elxsi and CSIR-NAL have partnered to accelerate innovation in UAVs, UAM, and eVTOLs.
Tata Elxsi and the CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) have recently announced a partnership to drive advancements in air mobility. On Tuesday, the companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which aims to accelerate innovation in key areas such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), urban air mobility (UAM), and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
According to Tata, this collaboration combines CSIR-NAL’s expertise in aeronautical research with Elxsi’s capabilities in AI/ML, electrification, sensor fusion, and certification, positioning it to cater to both global and Indian markets.
The company highlighted that the partnership will work to enhance product development cycles as the UAV and UAM markets continue to expand, spanning industries like logistics, defence, agriculture, and urban transport.
This will be achieved through access to advanced testing infrastructure, methodologies, and expertise in areas such as autonomous systems, aerodynamic design, and secure communications, which are vital for both manned and unmanned air mobility systems.
The partnership also aligns with India’s growth opportunities in advanced air mobility, driven by initiatives like ‘Make-in-India’ and a demand for locally developed solutions. This collaboration will contribute to creating a robust ecosystem, including precision manufacturing, component suppliers, and tool vendors while influencing industry regulations and standards.
Manoj Raghavan, MD & CEO of Tata Elxsi, commented, “We believe the future of aerospace innovation lies in technologies like UAVs and Urban Air Mobility. This strategic partnership with NAL combines our strengths to push the boundaries of innovation and accelerate the development of next-generation air mobility solutions for our customers globally.”
Dr. Abhay A Pashilkar, Director at CSIR-NAL, added: “This partnership will help us develop scalable, sustainable solutions for the future of urban transportation.”
