New Delhi: The government has initiated the process for identifying potential sandbox sites for advanced air mobility solutions in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Advanced air mobility solutions include eVTOLs (electric Vertical Take Off Landing) aircraft or air taxis.

The civil aviation ministry is looking to have a regulatory sandbox for advanced air mobility solutions that will also help address urban congestion.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha on Thursday, minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol said potential sandbox sites are being looked for advanced air mobility solutions.

"With a view to promote the advanced air mobility in the country and create an enabling eco-system, a delegation consisting of officers from the ministry, DGCA and AAI (Airports Authority of India) and industry stakeholders recently visited the following potential sandbox sites in the States of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh," he said.

The potential sites are Mandvi airstrip in Kutch, Sabarmati River Front (Gujarat), Kurnool and Puttaparthi airports (Andhra Pradesh).

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is developing the regulatory framework for eVTOL aircraft.

The guidance material for 'Design, Operation and Authorisation of Vertiports' and 'Type Certification' of vertical take-off and landing capable aircraft have already been issued by the regulator.

The operations of advanced air mobility solutions are to be managed strategically and tactically by optimising the air traffic flow with the use of Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management (UTM) systems along with existing Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems.