Almora (Uttarakhand): In an extraordinary feat of grassroots engineering, Ravi Tamta, a native of Almora of Uttarakhand, has designed and successfully flight-tested a custom single-seater personal flying vehicle. Tamta, who serves as the CEO of Hapida Sky Private Limited and is the son of a local motor mechanic, personally piloted the prototype as it hovered stably in the air during its maiden test flight.

Self-taught innovation powered by internet

Despite having no formal background in Science, having completed his schooling in his village before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Nainital campus, Tamta's fascination with motor vehicles drove him to master complex mechanical principles independently. Leveraging online resources and self-directed research, he transformed his curiosity into practical engineering skills.
 

While he has previously created several problem-solving devices, his personal aerial vehicle, named Hapida Skynex, has garnered widespread attention as his most ambitious project to date.

A decade-long vision takes flight

Tamta’s dream of creating an operational flying car originated in 2015. A decade later, that vision has materialised through his startup, Hapida Sky Private Limited. Designed to function similarly to a multi-rotor helicopter, the compact aircraft is projected to achieve speeds of up to 200 km/h.

To construct the working prototype, Tamta sourced specialised components internationally from China, procured a high-performance engine from Chennai, and completed the entire assembly process at his home workshop. Following the successful hover test, he is currently preparing to file for patents and submit the aircraft to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for formal airworthiness certifications and operational approvals.

A legacy of grassroots engineering

Tamta’s father Harish Ram works as a motor mechanic in Kaflikhan, providing an early environment of hands-on machinery that inspired Ravi's inventive drive. Prior to developing the Hapida Skynex, Tamta created several utility innovations aimed at solving local challenges, including aspecialised fire suppression device for forest department applications, an ergonomic smart walking stick for individuals with disabilities, a motion-powered walking stick mobile charger,  the HAPIDA pine peat processing machine and an automated electrolyte pump machine.