The ePlane Company (Ubifly Technologies Pvt. Ltd.), which is developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in India, has opened a 60,000 sq. ft. integrated prototyping and testing facility at the IIT Madras Discovery Campus in Thaiyur, Chennai.
The facility was inaugurated on February 26, 2026, by Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras. The company said the site will support its transition from small-scale prototypes to full-scale aircraft development and serial manufacturing.
Focus on Full-Scale Development and Testing
The new plant houses teams for design, prototyping, subsystem integration and testing under one roof. It includes dedicated sections for:
- Composite fabrication
- Electric powertrain assembly
- Avionics testing
- Ground Test Vehicle (GTV) development
The facility will also support tethered hover testing as part of the certification process. The company is working with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on certification and flight-testing requirements for its e200X aircraft.
e200X Air Taxi Platform
The e200X is being developed as a compact air taxi platform. According to the company, the aircraft has an 8 metre by 10 metre footprint and uses a lift system designed to improve energy efficiency in urban operations.
The company plans to begin commercial deployment with air ambulance services. It estimates that the aircraft could reduce medical transport time in certain cases.
Regulatory and Certification Work
The company stated that it has moved beyond initial design approvals and is now focusing on ground testing and subsystem validation. The Ground Test Vehicle phase will help validate systems before flight testing begins. Engagement with the DGCA includes defining certification pathways and testing benchmarks for eVTOL aircraft in India.
Role of IIT Madras Ecosystem
The ePlane Company emerged from the IIT Madras Incubation Cell. The Discovery Campus provides space for manufacturing-scale operations, while the institute supports research validation and access to engineering talent in areas such as electric propulsion and composite structures. The company said the integrated facility is intended to support in-house design, validation and manufacturing of electric aircraft systems in India.
Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, Founder and Technical Lead of The ePlane Company, said, "This facility is the engine of our commercial future. With the support of IIT Madras, we have built a space where we can fulfill our vision of making flying as common and affordable as taking a taxi. This isn't just about moving people; it’s about adding another layer of transport to the future of human mobility.”
