India’s largest all-electric unmanned aerial vehicle (e-UAV) is being tested in the city.
Story so far: The country’s largest vertical take-off drone is being ground-tested in Bengaluru. It will undergo the critical “Cruise Test” in two months. A special container truck transported the e-UAV from Chennai to the city.
- The drone was developed by The ePlane Company and incubated at IIT Madras. It can traverse 200 km at a speed of 160 km/hr.
- It has a take-off weight of 200 kg. The drone was displayed at a global conference on Short Haul Mobility on Monday.
Why it matters? Presently, drones in India can carry freight between 5 kg and 10 kg and fly a maximum distance of 30 km. Logistics company DHL, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), the Indian Army, and the Indian Navy are interested.
- The ePlane company has also designed an electric flying taxi.