The Technology Development Board (TDB), an agency of the Department of Science and Technology under India’s Ministry of Science and Technology, has approved ₹285 crore in research funding to Ubifly Technologies Private Limited, a Chennai-based company developing electric aircraft for advanced air mobility. The support comes from the ₹1 lakh crore Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, a government scheme designed to help Indian private companies mature cutting-edge technologies towards commercial use.
The project will accelerate development of the e200X, a three-seater electric aircraft designed to operate with zero emissions. The aim is to move this indigenous technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6, which means the technology has been tested in a real environment, to TRL-9, which indicates a system ready for operational deployment. The total approved project cost is ₹570 crore, with TDB providing half that amount through Optionally Convertible Debentures, a form of financial support that can be converted into equity if certain conditions are met.
Key facts
- Financial support: ₹285 crore from Technology Development Board
- Total project cost: ₹570 crore
- Company: Ubifly Technologies Private Limited, Chennai
- Technology: e200X three-seater electric aircraft
- Aircraft capacity: one pilot and two passengers
- Range: 110 kilometres
- Cruise speed: 160 kilometres per hour
- Development path: Technology Readiness Level 6 to TRL-9
- Funding source: ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund
- Support mechanism: Optionally Convertible Debentures
What the e200X aircraft does
The e200X is an electrically-powered advanced air mobility aircraft, meaning it is designed to operate in shared urban and regional airspace at low to medium altitudes. It can carry a pilot and two passengers across a distance of 110 kilometres on a single battery charge, at a cruising speed of 160 kilometres per hour. The aircraft requires no conventional runway, as it features landing gear capable of both vertical landing (like a helicopter) and conventional landing, providing flexibility for where it can operate. Its compact design allows it to function from relatively small spaces, and it can complete multiple trips on a single battery charge.
Indigenous technology components
The e200X brings together multiple technology elements developed within India. These include vertical rotors and forward-facing propellers for flight control, proprietary algorithms that manage the aircraft’s flight path and stability, power-distribution controllers that manage electrical systems, and battery-pack modules with integrated cooling systems to prevent overheating. Ubifly has designed the aircraft’s complete structure in-house, including the fuselage, wings and support booms. This end-to-end in-house design marks the project as genuinely indigenous technology development.
What TRL-6 to TRL-9 means
The project will spend the next phase advancing the e200X through critical stages of technology maturation. TRL-6 means the technology has already been tested in a real-world environment. Moving to TRL-9 involves extensive further testing, validation of all systems, scaling up manufacturing processes, and demonstrating that the aircraft can operate reliably under operational conditions. This phase typically involves building and flying multiple prototypes, stress-testing components, refining manufacturing processes, and preparing regulatory documentation needed for eventual certification.
Connection to the RDI Fund
The ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund is a government scheme designed to encourage private Indian companies to develop high-impact technologies by sharing the financial burden of moving innovations from laboratory stage to market readiness. This Ubifly support exemplifies the fund’s purpose: enabling private sector participation in deep technology development where the risk and investment are too high for companies alone, while keeping the technology and intellectual property within India.
What this means for you
If this project succeeds, it could eventually lead to a new form of urban and regional transportation. Electric aircraft of this type could reduce travel times between cities within 110 kilometres, produce zero emissions, and operate from small landing zones in cities. The project also represents a signal that India is investing in aerospace and electric mobility capabilities. For technology professionals and entrepreneurs, it signals government backing for deep-tech startups in aerospace.
What happens next
Ubifly Technologies will now use the ₹285 crore support to conduct extensive engineering, testing and technology validation work. The next major milestone will be advancing the e200X to TRL-9, meaning an operationally demonstrated system ready for real-world deployment and eventual regulatory certification.