Indian-based startup By March 2025, ePlane plans to construct a prototype electric air taxi

Indian-based startup By March 2025, ePlane plans to construct a prototype electric air taxi

According to Satya Chakravarthy, the founder and CEO of ePlane Company, the company is creating an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft, which would initially have three or four seats and be able to transform into an air ambulance.

According to the startup's website, an ePlane may arrive at a location in 14 minutes compared to a personal vehicle's 60-minute travel time.

The ePlane Company, a Chennai-based firm focused on finding solutions to reduce urban congestion, plans to build a certified flying electric taxi prototype by March of next year. According to a senior executive, the business, which is based out of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Madras, plans to start selling its drones in the near future. These drones can carry a payload ranging from 2 to 6 kg.

According to Satya Chakravarthy, the founder and CEO of ePlane Company, the company is creating an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft, which would initially have three or four seats and be able to transform into an air ambulance. We aim to create the first certified prototype by March of the following year. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) certification would take a further two years to get, Chakravarthy said PTI.

According to the startup's website, an ePlane may arrive at a location in 14 minutes compared to a personal vehicle's 60-minute travel time. The startup wants to use eVTOLs to reduce traffic in metropolitan areas. In addition, the ePlane firm is creating drones, which should be available for purchase in the next months. It intends to release two categories of drones: one for basic models and another for upgraded models.

According to Chakravarthy, both drone payload capacities—2–6 kg and up to 50 kg—will allow them to go up to 40–60 km in the air. InterGlobe Enterprises and US-based Archer Aviation, on the other hand, want to introduce an all-electric air taxi service in India in 2026. The service would transport customers in only seven minutes from Connaught Place in the nation's capital to Gurugram in Haryana. The parent company of IndiGo, the biggest airline in the nation, is InterGlobe Enterprises.

Aside from the pilot, 200 eVTOL aircraft from Archer Aviation can accommodate four passengers. For eVTOL aircraft, the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) has developed regulations. "Without requiring a lot of ground infrastructure, these electric air taxis provide quicker intra-city transport, which might lower pollution, noise, and traffic. Issues including safety worries, legal obstacles, and integration with current transportation networks need further investigation and attention. Notwithstanding these difficulties, the EASA website states that eVTOLs "may become a common sight in urban skies within the next 5 to 10 years, contingent upon resolving safety issues and regulatory complexities."