Almora Man With No Engineering Degree Builds Electric Flying Car Prototype
Ravi Tamta, a BA graduate from Almora's Kaflikhan village, built an electric flying car prototype called HAPIDA SKYNeX through 13 years of self-taught research, and completed a test flight in August.
Current Summary
Ravi Tamta, a Bachelor of Arts graduate from Kaflikhan village near Jageshwar Dham in Uttarakhand's Almora district, has built an electric flying car prototype named HAPIDA SKYNeX, despite having no formal science or engineering education. Tamta developed the vehicle over 13 years through online learning, hands-on experimentation and family support, working through his venture, Hapida Sky Private Limited. He began pursuing the idea in 2015, saying the difficulty of travelling through the hills — including long journeys on winding roads to reach hospitals — shaped his interest in personal air mobility. The single-seater vehicle is designed for vertical take-off and landing without a runway, using multiple electric motors and propellers similar to multirotor drone technology, with a lightweight frame, cockpit and transparent canopy, and runs on battery power rather than aviation fuel. The prototype completed a test flight in August. Tamta attended junior high school in his village before completing his undergraduate degree.
What We Know
- Ravi Tamta, from Kaflikhan village near Jageshwar Dham in Almora, has no formal engineering or science education.
- His prototype, HAPIDA SKYNeX, is a battery-powered, vertical take-off single-seater built through his venture Hapida Sky Private Limited.
- The prototype completed a test flight in August after 13 years of self-directed development.
What Is Still Unclear
- Whether the vehicle has undergone any safety certification or regulatory review.
- Timeline, if any, for further testing, passenger-carrying capability or commercial development.
What Changed
- 23 Oct, 08:51 amSignal detected: Almora Man With No Engineering Degree Builds Electric Flying Car Prototype
Background
Tamta has said the difficulty of travelling through Uttarakhand's hill terrain, including long journeys to reach hospitals, motivated his pursuit of personal air mobility starting in 2015.