The facility unites design, prototyping, integration and testing under one roof, aiding the shift to certification-ready, flight hardware. It includes composite fabrication, powertrain assembly, avionics testing and a Ground Test Vehicle unit.
The ePlane Company, an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft maker, has announced the opening of its prototyping and testing facility at the IIT Madras Discovery Campus in Thaiyur, near Chennai.
The facility, spanning 60,000 sqft, will support key development milestones as The ePlane Company progresses from initial design concepts and subscale prototypes to flight-ready hardware and certification-grade prototyping, the company said.
The facility was inaugurated by V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras.
It will house design, prototyping, integration, and subsystem testing teams in a single location and serve as the engineering hub for the passenger, relief, and cargo eVTOLs. The site includes composite fabrication, electric powertrain assembly, avionics testing, and a dedicated Ground Test Vehicle (GTV) facility to support subsystem validation and full-scale development.
“This facility is the engine of our commercial future. With the support of IIT Madras, we have built a space where we can fulfil 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,” said Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, Founder and Technical Lead of The ePlane Company. “
Published on February 26, 2026