In Hyderabad, BluJ Aero, an aerospace company, introduced its Reach prototype aircraft, a hydrogen-electric VTOL aircraft aimed at enhancing the logistics sector. The Reach aircraft boasts a payload capacity of 100 kg and can cover a range of 300 km on a single hydrogen charge, utilizing hydrogen-electric propulsion. The aircraft is designed to be fully autonomous with real-time monitoring and control capabilities. The co-founder and CTO of BluJ Aero, Utham Kumar, highlighted the aircraft's potential for mid-mile connectivity and its role in transporting emergency supplies to hard-to-reach regions. Additionally, the VTOL capabilities of the Reach aircraft make it suitable for connecting underserved areas, enabling same-day deliveries across the country. The company envisions facilitating rapid transit between cities like Bengaluru-Mysuru, Chennai-Pondicherry, Mumbai-Pune, and Hyderabad-Warangal in just 30 minutes, eliminating the need for traditional airport infrastructure. BluJ Aero's focus is on providing efficient, environmentally friendly air transport solutions for both civilian and defence purposes. They are also working on a defence variant of the aircraft to cater to high-altitude missions, such as relief and supply operations in challenging terrains. With an all-up weight of 500 kg, the Reach aircraft is claimed to be the largest privately developed aircraft in India. The company has secured Rs 18 crore in investments and anticipates the need for Rs 200-250 crore for the production phase, demonstrating significant progress in the field of hydrogen-electric VTOL aircraft development in India.