Flying cars are once again taking over the internet, with Tesla’s plans fuelling conversations about a future where people could travel through the air instead of sitting in traffic. But in Almora, Uttarakhand, an innovator has spent 13 years working towards a similar idea, driven by a problem much closer to home.

Ravi Tamta grew up in the mountains of Kaflikhan village near Jageswar Dham, where reaching a hospital could mean hours on winding roads. He began wondering if there was another way to travel through the hills, one that did not depend on roads or require an airport.

That question led him to build HAPIDA SKYNeX, an electric flying vehicle prototype that can take off and land vertically. After years of experiments, the vehicle completed its maiden test flight in August, taking off from an army helipad in Almora and remaining airborne for nearly a minute.

A mountain problem sparked the idea

For people living in hilly regions, distance is not always measured in kilometres. Winding roads and difficult terrain can turn a relatively short journey into a long trip, particularly when someone needs medical attention.

Tamta began exploring whether a flying vehicle could help people cover such distances faster. His idea was to develop a vehicle that could rise vertically, travel over difficult terrain, and land without needing a runway.

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The aim is to make air travel more accessible in hilly regions, particularly during medical emergencies and in areas that are difficult to reach by road.

Developed under his venture, Hapida Sky Private Limited, the HAPIDA SKYNeX........

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