An Indian startup mentored by IIT Madras has unveiled a full-scale electric flying taxi prototype named e200X. This move marks significant progress for India in the field of electric aerial mobility, as the future of urban transport may no longer be confined to roads.
The e200X aircraft is an electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicle. Unlike traditional airplanes, it can take off and land vertically, similar to a helicopter, before transitioning to horizontal flight. Since it does not require a runway, this aircraft is ideally suited for cities with limited land and daily traffic congestion issues.
The prototype is designed for passenger transport, cargo delivery, and emergency medical services. According to available data, the aircraft's structure is made of carbon fiber, weighs approximately 2.2 tons, has a wingspan of 8 meters, and has an estimated operational range of about 110 kilometers.
The ePlane Company was founded in 2019 by IIT Madras professor Satya Chakravarti and Pranjal Mehta. The Chennai-based startup specializes in creating compact electric aircraft for urban transportation needs. The company has secured $21.5 million in investments from investors such as Speciale Invest, Antares Ventures, Micelio Mobility, and Naval Ravikant.
The company's mission focuses on improving so-called medium-range mobility, which covers travel between key points within a city over moderate distances. Instead of needing new airport infrastructure, the e200X will eventually be able to operate from existing helipads and suitable open spaces.
Although the presentation was an important milestone, the aircraft is still under development. The ePlane Company plans to begin test flights of the full-scale prototype by mid-2027. Commercial operation will only commence after extensive testing, certification, and regulatory approval are completed.
The startup has already achieved a significant regulatory milestone by becoming the first private Indian company to receive design approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for an electric aircraft. The type certification process for the e200X began in December 2024.
Major Indian cities continue to face growing problems with road congestion, air pollution, and long travel times. While electric flying taxis are unlikely to replace buses, subways, or regular taxis, they could offer an efficient alternative for urgent medical transport, time-sensitive cargo delivery, and premium city travel.
Although the e200X is still far from commercial deployment, its unveiling demonstrates that India is becoming an active participant in the global race to create next-generation aerial mobility. If the aircraft successfully overcomes technical and regulatory hurdles, it could pave the way for an Indian-created flying taxi ecosystem in the coming years.
Most Indian drone manufacturers are forced to import batteries despite the development of the local industry. Currently, most Indian drones can only fly for 20–30 minutes, which requires operators to constantly replace spare batteries in the field.
India has created a large drone manufacturing sector but has failed to build the necessary infrastructure for component production. The startup from Bengaluru, which produces such batteries domestically, was founded in 2021 by Kajal Shah, its CEO, and Dr. Saurabh Markandeya. Both founders previously had experience creating companies and worked in the mobility and clean energy sectors.
According to the company, the problem lies not with the drones themselves, but with the components used in them. This issue is particularly acute in agriculture, where spraying drones operate long shifts over open fields. Each battery change takes time, and every spare battery increases weight and costs for the operator.
Dreamfly develops and manufactures high-energy density battery packs for the aerospace, aviation, and drone industries. They work with various cell chemistries, including lithium, graphene, and supercapacitors. Engineering developments focus on ensuring safety and heat dissipation. Thanks to the thermal casing design, the operating temperature is reduced to 20 degrees Celsius, which decreases the risk of fire. Lighter cell stacks help reduce the overall drone weight.
Heat is a critical factor: a hot battery loses power faster, fails sooner, and carries an increased fire risk. In a drone, weight and heat are contradictory: a larger battery provides longer flight time but also increases mass and reduces payload.
Dreamfly also creates batteries adapted to India's specific needs. One model is designed for high-altitude flights and functions at temperatures down to minus 30 degrees Celsius. Another is a non-explosive graphene battery developed specifically for agricultural drones that must be safe near crops and people.
The company sells its products not to end-users, but to drone and aerospace manufacturers. Among its clients are Tata Advanced Systems, the aerospace division of Tata Group, and Larsen & Toubro. Additionally, Dreamfly supplies components to General Aeronautics, which manufactures agricultural spraying drones, and Neosky India, a subsidiary of RattanIndia Enterprises. Large defense and engineering firms are slowly testing the components, and once a supplier meets these standards, it is difficult to replace them.
In February 2025, the company raised 12 crore rupees in a seed round led by Avaana Capital with participation from Sunicon Ventures and existing investors. Previously, in 2023, it received 4.9 crore rupees in an angel round supported by Rebalance Angel Community. These funds will be used to establish a manufacturing facility, expand the team, and conduct further research. The company currently employs about 27 people.
Dreamfly representatives note that localizing battery production in India eliminates a common dependency in the sector: cells and packs are often imported by Indian drone manufacturers, making them vulnerable to price fluctuations and delivery delays. The company is also working on batteries for electric aviation and other aerospace applications, using similar engineering principles and requiring high certification standards. Experts predict rapid growth in the Indian drone market over the next decade, and Dreamfly believes that an indigenous component industry, starting with batteries, is necessary to support this growth.
