India’s First Air Taxi eVTOL Prototype Unveiled
ePlane unveils India’s first full-scale eVTOL prototype PT-01, targeting air ambulance services by 2028.
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
IIT Madras-incubated Chennai-based startup, The ePlane Company, has unveiled India’s first full-scale electric vertical take-off and landing (eVOTAL) aircraft prototype designated PT-01 at the IIT Madras Discovery Campus.
It represents the next phase of development after 5 years of research. The company’s plan is to launch commercial operations by 2028 along with the air ambulance services on priority followed by operations for urban transport.
It is a battery powered aircraft that can take off and land vertically like a helicopter. An eVOTAL does not require long runways; it can lift-off from small spaces. The prototype has a carbon-fibre composite structure, weighs around 2.2 tonnes, features an 8-metre wingspan, and has an operational range of about 110 km.
It’s key features include:
- Ultra-Compact Global Footprint: Measures 8 meters × 11 meters. This footprint allows it to operate directly from existing helipads or standard hospital rooftops
- Carbon-Fiber Composite Structure: Constructed out of lightweight carbon-fiber composites with a maximum gross vehicle weight of 2 tonnes.
- Payload & Operating Range: Engineered to carry 1 pilot plus a 200 kg payload (fitting up to 2 passengers or a trauma patient with a paramedic) with a range of 110 km on a single charge.
- Digital Twin Validation: Developed and tested virtually using NVIDIA Omniverse before physical assembly, backed by over 10,000 km of flight testing on subscale demonstrators.
The unveiling of India’s first full-scale eVTOL prototype marks a significant milestone in the country’s advanced aviation ecosystem, positioning India to develop indigenous electric air mobility solutions for emergency medical services and future urban transportation.
IIT Madras-incubated Chennai-based startup, The ePlane Company, has unveiled India’s first full-scale electric vertical take-off and landing (eVOTAL) aircraft prototype designated PT-01 at the IIT Madras Discovery Campus.
It represents the next phase of development after 5 years of research. The company’s plan is to launch commercial operations by 2028 along with the air ambulance services on priority followed by operations for urban transport.
It is a battery powered aircraft that can take off and land vertically like a helicopter. An eVOTAL does not require long runways; it can lift-off from small spaces. The prototype has a carbon-fibre composite structure, weighs around 2.2 tonnes, features an 8-metre wingspan, and has an operational range of about 110 km.
It’s key features include:
- Ultra-Compact Global Footprint: Measures 8 meters × 11 meters. This footprint allows it to operate directly from existing helipads or standard hospital rooftops
- Carbon-Fiber Composite Structure: Constructed out of lightweight carbon-fiber composites with a maximum gross vehicle weight of 2 tonnes.
- Payload & Operating Range: Engineered to carry 1 pilot plus a 200 kg payload (fitting up to 2 passengers or a trauma patient with a paramedic) with a range of 110 km on a single charge.
- Digital Twin Validation: Developed and tested virtually using NVIDIA Omniverse before physical assembly, backed by over 10,000 km of flight testing on subscale demonstrators.
The unveiling of India’s first full-scale eVTOL prototype marks a significant milestone in the country’s advanced aviation ecosystem, positioning India to develop indigenous electric air mobility solutions for emergency medical services and future urban transportation.
