Plans to Invest up to 45 Million Euros

New Delhi: Çelebi Aviation today announced its plans of introducing advanced taxiing solution – ‘Taxibots’, at key airports of the country. The semi-robotic Taxibots have been specially designed to ensure operational efficiency, in addition to reducing environmental damage.

Celebi entered into a partnership with KSU Aviation who has signed an exclusive sales agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries & TLD to deploy these units across the country. With an investment that could go up to 45 million Euros, the company is committed to modernizing the airport infrastructure and services in the country.

The pilot-controlled semi-automatic Taxibots are designed to significantly reduce fuel consumption by 85% and Foreign Object Damage (FOD) by 50%, thereby ensuring safety and lesser congestion at the airports. Use of Taxibots will also bring down the emission of CO2 and other noxious gases by 85%, and check noise pollution at the airports by 60%.

As a start, the company recently signed an agreement with Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), to provide commercially operational Taxibots for the next 10 years. Each of these units cost up to 1.5 million Euros. As a startup, the global ground handling provider has invested approximately 6.5 million Euros into this business (in consortium with KSU Aviation). The two Taxibots currently deployed at the Delhi airport are responsible for towing narrow body aircrafts from the terminal gate to the take-off point, with the aircrafts’ engines turned off. The company will bring in three more Taxibots units very soon as a part of the agreement with DIAL. Delhi Airport is the first to initiate the deployment of Taxibots, globally.

Commenting on the introduction of the technology, Mr. Murali Ramachandran, CEO-India, Çelebi Aviation said, “Çelebi entered India with a vision of bringing global operational standards in the country’s aviation market. We are also thankful to DGCA for being extremely supportive of the initiative. We are looking forward to partner with other key airports of India and are already in talks with a few of them who are very keen to bring this technology offer into their respective ecosystems. “

Çelebi enjoys the unique position of being present across India’s top three airports – Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, and has the capability to service close to 50% of aviation traffic in the country.