India's Mehair Orders Hybrid-electric Polaris Aircraft

Indian seaplane operator Maritime Energy Heli Air Services (Mehair) plans to operate the new hybrid-electric Polaris model being developed by U.S. start-up Tidal Flight. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding at the Singapore Airshow on Wednesday covering five firm orders and five options for the 9- to 12-passenger aircraft.

According to Virginia-based Tidal Flight, deliveries of the Polaris will start from 2030 with a list price of around $6 million. The company said the aircraft will be able to fly up to 1,000 nm and has attracted 12 purchase agreements potentially covering 150 orders.

Tidal Flight is now building a full-scale powertrain and iron bird for ground testing. Having raised $4 million in seed funding and won a $1.25 million U.S. Air Force contract, the company aims start flying a full-scale prototype in 2028.

Mumbai-based Mehair intends to deploy the Polaris to establish new regional air services to remote communities along the country’s coastline, inland waterways, and islands. The operator, which has been in business since 2011, has been awarded 92 seaplane routes through the Indian government’s UDAN regional connectivity program.

Tidal Flight is one of several new companies seeking to develop a new generation of hybrid- and all-electric seaplanes and wing-in-ground-effect vessels. Other start-ups include ST Engineering's Airfish, Elfly in Norway, Swiss-based Jekta, and Regent Craft in the U.S.

In 2023, Mehair, which operates a fleet of Cessna Caravan 208 floatplanes, announced an agreement to buy up to 50 of Jekta’s PHA-ZE 100 amphibious aircraft. In 2024, the company placed a conditional order for hydrogen-electric powered Caravans that ZeroAvia plans to convert with its powertrain. It has also expressed interest in a hydrogen-powered VTOL aircraft being developed by Switzerland’s Sirius Aviation.

“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,” said Siddharth Verma, the operator’s managing director. “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.”