en.Wedoany.com Reported - The ePlane Company, an aerospace startup incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, has unveiled the first full-scale prototype of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the e200X (PT-01), with plans to commence flight testing around mid-2027.
The prototype's unveiling ceremony was held at the company's newly built 60,000-square-foot production facility on the IIT Madras Discovery Campus in Chennai. The e200X is designed for applications including passenger taxi services, cargo transport, and air ambulance operations. Before entering flight tests, the aircraft will first undergo ground testing. Founder and Chief Technology Officer Satya Chakravarthy told The Times of India that the initial flights will be conducted in an unmanned mode. Chakravarthy noted that with the PT-01, the company has moved directly from scaled testing to full-scale validation. This timeline is later than the company's previous target of beginning full-scale aircraft testing in early 2026.
Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, commonly known as flying taxis, can take off and land vertically like helicopters and transition to forward flight, thus operating without the need for runways. The e200X features a carbon fiber composite airframe, with a maximum takeoff weight of 2.2 tons and dimensions of 8 meters by 11 meters. It is designed to carry one pilot and two passengers, or up to 200 kilograms of cargo, with a target range of 110 kilometers. Its compact size is intended to support operations from existing helipads and open spaces, reducing reliance on dedicated landing facilities, though the use of urban rooftops will still require regulatory and infrastructure approvals. The aircraft uses an 800-volt system to power multiple electric motors and employs separate fixed propellers for vertical lift and forward flight, rather than propellers that can tilt between the two modes. The company states that this design reduces mechanical complexity and allows other motors to continue operating in the event of a single motor failure.
The PT-01 is ePlane's first full-scale aircraft and has not yet undergone test flights. According to ePlane, its smaller ATVA and e50 test aircraft have accumulated over 10,000 kilometers of test flights. In May 2023, the company received Design Organization Approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, recognizing its capability and processes for designing aircraft, though this does not constitute commercial operation certification for the PT-01. The aircraft must complete a series of tests and obtain certification before it can carry passengers commercially. Founded in 2019 by IIT Madras professors Satya Chakravarthy and Pranjal Mehta, ePlane has raised $21.5 million from investors including Speciale Invest, Antares Ventures, Micelio Mobility, and Naval Ravikant.
