Best Place To BuildProf. Satya Chakravarthy| "Takes off like a drone, flies like a plane"| Ep. 7 | IIT Madras
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 5:21
IIT Madras in the late ’80s: insti lingo, hostel culture, and a laid-back rigor
Satya Chakravarthy recalls his BTech (1987–1991) days at IIT Madras—hostel life, “insti lingo,” and a more personal, approachable academic environment. He contrasts the era’s fewer distractions with today’s internet-driven student life, while noting that aero was mathematically intense even then.
- •BTech in Aerospace at IITM (1987–1991), hostel Alak, nickname “Mama”
- •Aero’s academic difficulty vs perceived “pressure”: lots of work, high math content
- •More approachable faculty and personal student-professor interactions back then
- •Pre-internet campus life: fewer diversions, more corridor conversations
- •Cultural/student activities and the evolution of POR/resume mindset
- 5:21 – 7:06
From IITM to Georgia Tech: higher studies pipeline and returning as faculty
He describes going to Georgia Tech for MS/PhD and how IITM Aero developed informal pipelines via faculty connections and recommendation letters. The discussion sets up his later role in building research groups and translating research into ventures.
- •Masters and PhD at Georgia Tech; strong aero reputation
- •Faculty connections created a Georgia Tech “pipeline” for students
- •Multiple IITM Aero faculty with Georgia Tech backgrounds
- •Shift from student life to academic career trajectory
- •Early signals of building networks that later support research/startups
- 7:06 – 8:42
Choosing aerospace vs CS: ‘follow your heart’ in today’s opportunity-rich world
The conversation turns to the career dilemma students face—passion versus perceived pay/security. Chakravarthy argues that the modern landscape offers abundant opportunities across fields, making interest-led choices more viable than ever.
- •Core principle: follow your heart, especially today
- •Opportunities now exist in most domains (including aero) within India
- •Uncertainty persists at all ages; no one has perfect foresight
- •Students undervalue their own judgment at 17; learning never stops
- •Reframing career choice around long-term engagement rather than hype
- 8:42 – 11:06
ePlane and eVTOL basics: vertical takeoff like a drone, forward flight like a plane
Chakravarthy explains what The ePlane Company is building—India’s first eVTOL passenger aircraft designed for tight landing spaces. He positions it as shared/autonomous mobility in the air rather than ‘Jetsons-style’ personal flying gadgets.
- •Definition of eVTOL and the ‘drone takeoff, plane flight’ concept
- •Shortest-wing eVTOL design to enable tight-space landings
- •Focus on convenience: rider does not ‘control’ the tech
- •Target use-case: intra-city and airport connectivity (30–60 km typical)
- •Operating altitude roughly 300–500 meters, visible from the ground
- 11:06 – 22:35
Performance, pricing, and the battery constraint: why range is hard (and what to optimize)
They dive into speed targets, expected pricing, and the limits imposed by today’s battery energy density. He clarifies the difference between energy and power demands—especially punishing for vertical takeoff/landing—and outlines how aerodynamics/lightweighting can extend range even before battery breakthroughs.
- •Cruise speed target ~150–160 km/h (psychological 100 mph)
- •Aspirational price point ~₹4–5 crore (high-end car territory)
- •Current practical range limits: ~200–250 km for electric aircraft
- •Battery energy density today ~240–270 Wh/kg; combustion fuel ~15,000 Wh/kg equivalent
- •VTOL is both energy- and power-hungry; vertical systems add drag in forward flight
- •Paths to improve range: better aerodynamics, lighter structures, lighter motors; hybrid/fuel-cell tradeoffs
- 22:35 – 24:58
Convincing investors and teams: ‘peeling the onion’ and why global precedents matter
Chakravarthy explains how deep-tech persuasion works in India: investors often need validation that something is being done elsewhere. He notes the crowded eVTOL landscape globally (many at ‘PowerPoint level’), which both de-risks the category and raises execution standards for ePlane.
- •Indian capital tends to prefer ideas already validated globally
- •Hundreds of eVTOL startups exist; dozens have prototypes; ~half-dozen are leaders
- •Credibility-building is gradual: proof points layered over time
- •Hiring advantage in India: aero talent wants to build a full aircraft, not a subsystem
- •Balancing ‘crazy idea’ energy with evidence-driven milestones
- 24:58 – 29:51
Evolution of aerospace in India: from ISRO/HAL to MNC R&D, manufacturing, and startups
He maps four phases of India’s aerospace growth: government R&D/PSUs, then MNC engineering centers, then manufacturing, and now a wave of startups. This shift expands career pathways and enables ventures like ePlane by supplying experienced talent and supply-chain capability.
- •Phase 1 (pre-2000): ISRO/DRDO/HAL dominance; strong product focus but limited scale hiring
- •Phase 2: MNC private R&D in India (GE, Boeing, etc.), especially Bangalore
- •Phase 3: Manufacturing growth across regions (Hyderabad, Gujarat, etc.)
- •Phase 4 (2020s): aerospace startups as a new frontier
- •Manufacturing example: export-oriented aircraft production largely unnoticed
- 29:51 – 37:02
Why IIT Madras became ‘the best place to build’: internet as leveler + India’s deep-tech funding shift
He attributes the new ‘builder culture’ to students’ global awareness via the internet and reduced psychological dependence on the US for best outcomes. The conversation adds a second enabler: India’s growing startup/VC ecosystem increasingly willing to fund deep tech, unlocking scale beyond government labs.
- •IITM students today are more action-oriented; fewer ‘wing cot only’ evenings
- •Internet breaks the ‘best future = US’ myth; enables local ambition
- •Small-scale systems can be more technologically advanced (e.g., 3D printing)
- •Startup funding/VC ecosystem as a key missing ingredient now present
- •Hypothesis: deep-tech proportion in India may be comparatively high
- 37:02 – 41:09
ePlane’s roadmap: from drones to passenger prototype, certification, and 2026 commercial flights
Chakravarthy details ePlane’s progression: bootstrapping via winged drones, subscale prototypes, and moving into certification. With the latest fundraising, the focus shifts to building the first passenger prototype and working through an intensive aviation compliance process toward commercial launch.
- •Early phase: bootstrapped, built winged drones and subscale eVTOL prototypes
- •Now building passenger aircraft prototype (target: ~next 6 months)
- •Certification/testing adds ~1+ year; commercial flights aimed for late 2026
- •Series B and ~US$20M funding milestone enabling scale-up
- •Civil aviation is heavily regulated—every change is tracked for safety
- 41:09 – 44:05
Agnikul Cosmos: 3D-printed rocket engines, test infrastructure, and the patience paradox
He explains Agnikul’s approach: highly integrated 3D-printed engines with simplified interfaces, enabled by in-house printing and dedicated test facilities. The timeline from 2017 to a 2024 launch frames a broader lesson: deep-tech startups require both impatience to challenge the status quo and patience to execute.
- •Agnikul started ideation/incubation ~2017; concept solidified in 2018
- •Integrated engine design: LOX inlet + fuel inlet, single nozzle outlet
- •Built and used Thaiyur test facilities; mimicked launch-pad plumbing and operations
- •Seven-year journey to successful launch; deep-tech timelines are long
- •‘Patience paradox’: impatience to start, patience to finish
- 44:05 – 47:41
GalaxEye: SAR + optical fusion for 24×7 Earth imaging (and 10× value via edge computing)
GalaxEye’s core innovation is fusing synthetic aperture radar (night/cloud-penetrating) with optical/multispectral imaging and ML to render usable imagery continuously. He argues this removes the standard excuses—night and cloud cover—while improving efficiency through onboard processing and selective downlink.
- •SAR works at night/through clouds; optical provides visible-spectrum context
- •Fusion + deep learning to make SAR more interpretable/‘visible-like’
- •‘No excuses for not imaging the world 24×7’ framing
- •Satellites otherwise effective only a small fraction of time due to night + clouds
- •Edge computing and selective beaming can yield ~10× improvement
- 47:41 – 59:06
TuTr Hyperloop: feasibility, affordability, and IITM’s 400m+ vacuum test track
He traces TuTr Hyperloop back to the Avishkar student team and evaluates whether hyperloop is a fad or a viable Indian mobility solution. Key differentiator: India’s focus on affordability, and the strategy of lowering operating costs after high upfront capex—supported by a world-leading ~410m vacuum tube test facility at Thaiyur.
- •Origins in Avishkar Hyperloop (CFI) and Musk’s competition influence
- •Feasibility analysis centered on costs, ticket prices, and Indian affordability focus
- •Target corridor example: Chennai–Bangalore in ~15–25 minutes; peak ~1200 km/h, minimum ~600 km/h to beat flights
- •System basics: maglev + vacuum; passenger comfort via dampers/controlled acceleration
- •Status: largely bootstrapped; support from Indian Railways; limited equity funding so far
- •Thaiyur testbed: 400m+ vacuum tube (aiming ~450m), positioned as global competition-grade infrastructure
- 59:06 – 1:05:07
NCCRD at IITM: building a world-scale combustion ecosystem and industry-sustained research
Chakravarthy describes founding the National Centre for Combustion Research and Development, seeded by early laser diagnostics and cross-sector interest. He defines success via scale, sustained industry-funded projects, high publication output, and training large cohorts of PhD researchers across ‘anything that burns.’
- •NCCRD formed around laser diagnostics and strategic sector + GE Aviation interest
- •Broad scope: aviation, automotive, thermal power, fire research/suppression, more
- •Initial ~₹46 crore investment; later ~₹250+ crore in industry projects
- •Industry collaboration as the primary mechanism to sustain large centers
- •Large research output: papers, collaborations, and ~75 PhD students at peak
- 1:05:07 – 1:14:17
Drop tower and Thaiyur ‘build wonderland’: microgravity, rockets, eVTOLs, hyperloop, and beyond
He explains IITM’s 38m drop tower (microgravity research) and who uses it—combustion, fluid mechanics, materials, and biology—highlighting the limits of short-duration microgravity and alternatives like parabolic flights. The discussion culminates in a tour of Thaiyur/Discovery Campus as a concentrated playground for full-stack engineering: ePlane assembly, Agnikul testing, hyperloop tube, wave basin, and waste-to-fuels facilities.
- •Drop tower mechanics: nested capsules, precise free-fall; ~2.3–2.5 seconds microgravity
- •Research use-cases: microgravity combustion, microfluidics, materials/crystal growth, biology (longer times needed)
- •Parabolic flights offer ~1–2 minutes microgravity; space stations for longer durations
- •Thaiyur campus: ePlane builds aircraft; Agnikul tests engines/launch-pad mimicry; hyperloop tube; wave basin; waste-to-crude and distillation initiatives
- •Common pattern: world-class facilities attract global collaborators and events
- 1:14:17 – 1:20:59
The joy of engineering and long-horizon career advice: default plans, switching, and learning anew
Chakravarthy reflects that his biggest joy comes from building full products—especially ePlane—because it demands end-to-end engineering rather than narrow research slices. He closes with planning advice: maintain a 10-year horizon (with a clearer 5-year plan), keep a ‘default’ path, and evaluate new opportunities against it—switching is fine when it makes sense.
- •Engineering as core passion: moving from subsystem research to full product creation
- •Letting go of ‘past baggage’: learn continuously, switch domains when needed
- •10-year tentative career horizon; 5-year more crystallized plan
- •Use a ‘default’ plan as an anchor; compare new opportunities against it
- •Dovetailing new opportunities can compound learning and impact
