Indian seaplane operator Maritime Energy Heli Air Services (Mehair) has signed a deal with Tidal Flight to acquire ten Polaris hybrid-electric aircraft, which are being developed for 2030 service entry. Finalised on Feb. 4, 2026, at the Singapore Airshow, Mehair has placed firm orders for five aircraft and taken options on a further five.
A Little About Tidal Flight
Tidal Flight is a Virginian-based aerospace startup and was founded in 2023. It is developing the Polaris, a nine-12 passenger, hybrid-electric amphibious seaplane designed for sustainable, cost-effective, and runway-independent coastal and regional travel. Aiming for a first flight in 2028 and certification in 2030, it seeks to reduce fuel burn by 85%.
Jude Augustine, co-founder and CEO of Tidal Flight Inc., said:
“With India investing so strongly in amphibious aviation through the UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme, this partnership with a leader in Indian seaplane aviation like MEHAIR is a great opportunity to bring Polaris to a rapidly growing market. As a hybrid-electric aircraft, Polaris will enable rapid scale-up of sustainable and affordable service, even in locations with limited electric infrastructure.”
The company is advancing rapidly with successful subscale prototype testing and is working on full-scale models for commuter-class transportation. It
What is Mehair?
Mehair is an Indian regional airline and the country’s pioneering seaplane service operator. It was established to connect waterdromes and airports using amphibious aircraft.
The company, which launched in 2011 and is based in Mumbai, focuses on enhancing regional connectivity, particularly in touristic areas like the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Maharashtra.
Siddharth Verma, managing director of Mehair, said:
“This LOI is a strategic milestone in MEHAIR’s long-term vision to not only operate seaplanes in India, but to help build a sustainable, future-ready ecosystem around water-based aviation. The Polaris platform aligns strongly with our objective of unlocking new regional markets, dramatically reducing travel times, and enabling safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible connectivity across India’s vast maritime and inland geography.”
The deal aligns with Mehair’s vision to build a “future-ready” ecosystem for regional air mobility and unlock new markets.
Polaris Amphibian Hybrid-electric Aircraft
This deal was made at the 2026 Singapore Airshow, and the memorandum of understanding (MOU) was finalised on Feb. 4, 2026, marking a significant step for sustainable aviation in India.
The aircraft will feature a hybrid-electric powertrain – developed in collaboration with DeltaHawk Engines – that allows for high payload-range performance, using sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in the near term with a pathway to fully electric or hydrogen-electric in the long term.
The design includes low-tip-speed propellers, a composite fuselage, and retractable wingtip floats, designed to decrease corrosion-related maintenance. The aircraft is designed to be quieter, with a claimed 20-decibel reduction in takeoff noise.
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