By March 2025, the Chennai-based startup ePlane Company is anticipated to have a certified flying taxi prototype under development, with the goal of reducing urban traffic.
With this, the IIT-Madras-founded startup hopes to commercialize its drones in the upcoming months. The drones can carry 206 kg of cargo.
The ePlane Company’s founder and CEO, Satya Chakravarthy, announced that the company is working on an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft. Initially, it will have three or four seats, but it will also be able to transform into an air ambulance. “We plan to develop the first certifiable prototype by March of next year.” The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) certification will take an additional two years to get, Chakravarthy continued.
According to the company’s website, an ePlane may arrive at a location that typically takes an hour in just 14 minutes.
Furthermore, the drones that the company intends to market will first be available with a minimal feature set before an upgraded model is introduced. The company also stated that both drone sets—with payloads of 2–6 kg and up to 50 kg—would be able to go 40–60 km on foot.
In contrast, InterGlobe Enterprises, the parent company of Indigo, and US-based Archer Aviation have recently revealed plans to introduce an all-electric air taxi service in India by 2026. The service will travel from Cannaught Place to Gurugram in seven minutes.
