Founded at IIT Madras, startup showcases prototype of electric flying taxi: All you need to know

Co-founders Pranjal Mehta and Satya Chakravarthy displayed the model at the recently held annual Aero India show in Bengaluru.

At the recently held annual Aero India show in Bengaluru, ePlane Company, a startup that was born at IIT Madras, and has been working to develop an electric flying taxi, showcased a prototype of the vehicle.

The flying taxi developed by ePlane, a startup that was formed at IIT Madras.

“We got the idea to build the electric flying taxi after seeing a video on electric ground transportation,” said co-founders Pranjal Mehta and Satya Chakravarthy. Mehta and Chakravarthy, CEO and CTO respectively, founded the ePlane Company in 2017.

Here is all you need to know about the startup's flying taxi:

(1.) Its prototype is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) model and, according to the startup, offers a range of around 200 kms on a single charge.

(2.) The firm also claims that the vehicle is 10 times faster than cars and, once fully operational, the cost of one ride per passenger will be double of the fare charged by a regular Uber cab for the same distance.

(3.) The taxi, which weighs around 200 kgs, can accommodate two passengers in a single ride, and has a top speed of up to 200 kmph.

(4.) Propelled by as many as four ducted fans, its maximum cruising altitude is 457 metres (1,500 feet). To park it, an area of up to 25 square kms is required.

(5.) To develop the vehicle, ePlane raised around $1 million (approx. ₹8 crore). For now, a pilot operates the model; autonomous technology will be offered in the future.