Electric Air Taxi Prototype by The ePlane Company in 2025
By Rediff Money Desk, NEWDELHI Apr 28, 2024 14:17
Chennai-based startup The ePlane Company aims to develop an electric air taxi prototype by March 2025 to alleviate urban congestion in India. The company is also developing drones with a payload of 2-6 kilograms, expected to be commercialized soon.
![Electric Air Taxi Prototype by The ePlane Company in 2025](https://im.rediff.com/money/2023/nov/09nov-air-taxi.jpg)
Photograph: Christian Hartmann/Reuters
New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) Chennai-based startup The ePlane Company expects to develop a certifiable prototype of a flying electric taxi by March next year as it works on ways to alleviate urban congestion.
Incubated out of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, the company also aims to initially commercialise its drones that can carry a payload of 2-6 kilograms in the coming months, according to a senior executive.
The ePlane Company's Founder and CEO Satya Chakravarthy said it is developing an eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft and to begin with, it will be a three or four-seater plane which can be converted into an air ambulance.
"By March next year is when we expect to develop the first certifiable prototype. It will take another couple of years to get the certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)," Chakravarthy told PTI.
As per the startup's website, an ePlane will take only 14 minutes to reach a place that will take 60 minutes by a personal vehicle. The company's vision is to alleviate congestion in urban spaces with eVTOLs.
Besides, The ePlane company is developing drones, which are expected to be commercialsed in the coming months.
Initially, it plans to come out with a basic category and then an enhanced category of drones.
Chakravarthy said that both sets of drones -- 2-6 kg payload and up to 50 kg payload -- will be able to fly up 40-60 kilometres.
Meanwhile, InterGlobe Enterprises and US-based Archer Aviation plan to launch an all-electric air taxi service in India in 2026, that will carry passengers from Connaught Place in the national capital to Gurugram in Haryana in just 7 minutes.
InterGlobe Enterprises is the parent of the country's largest airline IndiGo.
Archer Aviation will supply 200 eVTOL aircraft that can carry four passengers besides a pilot.
The European Union Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) has prepared rules for eVTOL aircraft.
"These electric air taxis offer faster intra-city travel without extensive ground infrastructure, potentially reducing congestion, noise, and emissions.
"Challenges such as safety concerns, regulatory difficulties and integration with existing transport systems need further addressing and exploration. Despite these challenges, eVTOLs could become a regular sight in urban skies within the next 5 to 10 years, contingent upon resolving safety issues and regulatory complexities," according to the EASA website.
Incubated out of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, the company also aims to initially commercialise its drones that can carry a payload of 2-6 kilograms in the coming months, according to a senior executive.
The ePlane Company's Founder and CEO Satya Chakravarthy said it is developing an eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft and to begin with, it will be a three or four-seater plane which can be converted into an air ambulance.
"By March next year is when we expect to develop the first certifiable prototype. It will take another couple of years to get the certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)," Chakravarthy told PTI.
As per the startup's website, an ePlane will take only 14 minutes to reach a place that will take 60 minutes by a personal vehicle. The company's vision is to alleviate congestion in urban spaces with eVTOLs.
Besides, The ePlane company is developing drones, which are expected to be commercialsed in the coming months.
Initially, it plans to come out with a basic category and then an enhanced category of drones.
Chakravarthy said that both sets of drones -- 2-6 kg payload and up to 50 kg payload -- will be able to fly up 40-60 kilometres.
Meanwhile, InterGlobe Enterprises and US-based Archer Aviation plan to launch an all-electric air taxi service in India in 2026, that will carry passengers from Connaught Place in the national capital to Gurugram in Haryana in just 7 minutes.
InterGlobe Enterprises is the parent of the country's largest airline IndiGo.
Archer Aviation will supply 200 eVTOL aircraft that can carry four passengers besides a pilot.
The European Union Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) has prepared rules for eVTOL aircraft.
"These electric air taxis offer faster intra-city travel without extensive ground infrastructure, potentially reducing congestion, noise, and emissions.
"Challenges such as safety concerns, regulatory difficulties and integration with existing transport systems need further addressing and exploration. Despite these challenges, eVTOLs could become a regular sight in urban skies within the next 5 to 10 years, contingent upon resolving safety issues and regulatory complexities," according to the EASA website.
Read More On:
DISCLAIMER - This article is from a syndicated feed. The original source is responsible for accuracy, views & content ownership. Views expressed may not reflect those of rediff.com India Limited.
You May Like To Read
TODAY'S MOST TRADED COMPANIES
- Company Name
- Price
- Volume
- GTL Infrastructure
- 2.74 (+ 2.62)
- 84886833
- Srestha Finvest
- 2.24 (+ 4.67)
- 34707853
- Ola Electric Mobilit
- 132.76 (+ 19.99)
- 27685743
- Suzlon Energy Ltd.
- 79.93 (+ 4.10)
- 27308498
- IFL Enterprises
- 1.22 (+ 4.27)
- 24757806
MORE NEWS
![Sebi Eases...](https://im.rediff.com/80-80/money/2024/aug/10sebi1.jpg)
Sebi Eases Compliance for Listed NCDs - New...
Sebi proposes amendments to simplify compliance requirements for entities with listed...
![Chandrasekaran:...](https://im.rediff.com/80-80/news/2018/jan/04modi.jpg)
Chandrasekaran: Learn From Indian Wisdom &...
Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran emphasizes the importance of learning from Indian...
JSW Cement Files IPO Papers to Raise Rs 4,000...
JSW Cement has filed draft papers with Sebi for an IPO to raise Rs 4,000 crore. The IPO...