Bengaluru's Satellite Town Ring Road to get drone landing facilities at 4 locations

Doddaballapur - Hoskote section of Bengaluru Satellite Town Ring Road

In a first, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to come up with drone landing facilities at four strategic locations along the 288 km Bengaluru Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR, NH 948A).

The Rs 17,000-crore STRR project will be a four-six-lane, access-controlled expressway that will link 12 satellite towns of Bengaluru: Dobbaspet, Doddaballapur, Devanahalli, Sulibele, Hoskote, Sarjapur, Attibele, Anekal, Tattekere, Kanakapura, Ramanagara, Hosur, and Magadi.

NHAI officials told Moneycontrol that drone landing facilities will be provided at Dobbaspet, Malur, Kanakapura, and Belagondapalli (Tamil Nadu) for various purposes, including facilitating medical emergencies, road accidents, and organ transportation.

"STRR will probably be the first highway in India to get drone landing facilities. By providing these facilities at key locations, we are preparing for the potential rise in demand by 2035 or 2047, when drone taxis may become a common sight on our roads, easing traffic congestion," Vivek Jaiswal, Regional Officer, NHAI, told Moneycontrol.

He said these facilities along the STRR will attract more users. "For instance, a passenger from Electronics City could conveniently land at these designated spots using a drone taxi and then transition onto STRR, smoothly reaching the Bengaluru airport or other places without any hassle," he added.

The first section of Bengaluru's Satellite Town Ring Road is expected to be operational by December 2023

NHAI is also introducing helipads at cloverleaf intersections along the STRR. These helipads will be set up at Kolathur near Hoskote (three helipads), Ramanagara (two helipads), Dobaspet (three helipads), and Krishnagiri (three helipads).

Archana Kumar, project director, NHAI, told Moneycontrol, "We have already witnessed companies operating heli-taxis between Bengaluru airport and Electronics City, bypassing road traffic. There will be similar demand for drone taxis in the future. The helipads at major cloverleaf intersections will further support the convenience of aerial travel for commuters" she said.

Meanwhile, several firms are exploring the development of Electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft for commercial purposes. For instance, ePlane Company, a Chennai-based deep tech start-up, recently received a key approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on May 23, paving the way for building flying electric taxis.

NHAI is also planning to establish a bird park at the Kolathur Cloverleaf intersection. "By planting fruit trees to attract birds, this project aims to offer birdwatchers and commuters an opportunity to enjoy recreational facilities amidst nature," said Kumar.