Flying Taxi Prototype By IIT Madras Start-Up Grabs Eyeballs At Aero India

A start-up incubated out of Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) showcased its electric flying taxi prototype at Aero India in Bengaluru, which it claims is capable of transporting up to 50kg payload per trip over a 200km travel range on a single charge. The ePlane company said on its website that the flying taxi, named e200, will enable commuters to travel 10 times faster by beating traffic. The prototype that the company presented at Aero India is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL).

Pictures of the flying taxi have been posted by several aviation enthusiasts on Twitter and social media platforms and have gone viral. A short video has also been posted by ePlane on its LinkedIn page.

The company was founded by Satya Chakravarthy and Pranjal Mehta in 2017. While Mr Mehta is the chief executive officer (CEO) of ePlane, Mr Chakravarthy is the chief technology officer (CTO).

ePlane said on its website that its flying taxi is about the size of an SUV and doesn't need much space to land. The two-seater vehicle is human piloted and offers an affordable travel.

It weighs 200 kg and is equipped with four ducted fans, which act as propellers. 

The e200 will be offered in two variants - cargo and daily intra-city commute. Its designs and the prototype have to go through the certification process with aviation regulator DGCA before it can be commercially launched.

The ePlane company said its aim is to replace the road taxis for a similar price. However, it will start working on the price after all the approvals are done and ePlane is ready to launch the flying taxi. The launch is expected to take place next year.