India, with help from aviation manufacturer Noemi Aerospace, plans to introduce amphibious aircraft company SkyHop Aviation to South Asian territories as part of a plan to promote regional connectivity and provide less costly ways to reach remote locations.
Electric seaplane development
The new scheme is part of a larger development as SkyHop Aviation aims to advance innovation in the electric seaplane industry, with help from Noemi Aerospace, a Norwegian aviation manufacturer. Both have signed an initial contract to meet this goal.
Amphibious aircraft are versatile aircraft that operate on land and water. The first aircraft to use these features were introduced in the United Kingdom starting in 1918, before being developed in other countries such as the U.S., Russia, and Canada. Popular models used today are mostly for maritime or rescue operations; however, in recent years the industry has developed aircraft for travel and tourism.
SkyHop Aviation and Noemi Aerospace deal
India’s SkyHop Aviation made its first-ever successful electric seaplane flight on April 6, 2026, with the De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter at Ganga Barrage in Rishikesh. This marked a major milestone in India’s access to passenger services and travel opportunities.
SkyHop Aviation plans to purchase or charter at least 40 of these aircraft by 2030, with 10 manufactured by Noemi Aerospace. This means that by 2030, 20-23% of its air assets will be electric seaplanes, subject to regulatory approval. If the deal is a success, SkyHop Aviation may make further purchases from Noemi Aerospace, with an additional 5 planes to be considered.
Avani Singh, founder and CEO of SkyHop Aviation, commented on the accomplishment:
“Our immediate priority is to build a safe, reliable and scalable seaplane network across India. As we build that network, we also have an opportunity to think ahead about what the next generation of the fleet should look like. Electric and hybrid aircraft could become an important part of that transition, particularly for short regional routes, and our partnership with NOEMI allows us to begin evaluating that opportunity today.”
The collaboration aims to improve regional connectivity between remote parts of the country and support the development of the electric seaplane or hybrid plane industry, which will, in turn, secure India’s involvement in the expanding market.
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