Prof. Satya Chakravarthy| "Takes off like a drone, flies like a plane"| Ep. 7 | IIT Madras

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

December 20, 2024

Duration

1h 20m

Channel

Best Place To Build

Watch on YouTube

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📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Remember watching The Jetsons and dreaming of flying cars? While George Jetson zipped through Orbit City, Prof. Satya Chakravarthy rolled up his sleeves and said 'Challenge accepted.' Now, this IIT Madras professor isn't just dreaming—he's building India's first flying taxi. But unlike the Jetsons' personal flying cars that required piloting skills, his vision through The ePlane Company is different: electric aircraft that do all the work while you sit back and enjoy the view. As Founder and CEO-CTO, he's developing India's first electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft— imagine an electric SUV that flies up to 200 km/h just 300-500m above ground. In this episode, Prof. Satya takes us through his incredible career spanning academia and entrepreneurship. He shares candid insights about:

• How The ePlane Company is making flying taxis a reality in India
• The technological challenges of electric aviation and battery technology
• The evolution of India's aerospace ecosystem - from government organizations to startups
• His involvement with groundbreaking companies like Agnikul Cosmos, GalaxEye, and TuTr Hyperloop
• Why he believes India is now ready to build world-class aerospace technology

Whether you're an aerospace enthusiast, an aspiring entrepreneur, or simply curious about the future of transportation, this episode offers a unique glimpse into how Indian innovators are pushing the boundaries of what's possible in aerospace. Prof. Satya Chakravarthy is also the Head of National Centre for Combustion Research and Development (NCCRD) and Professor of Aerospace Engineering at IIT Madras. 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:25 Student at IIT Madras and PhD at Georgia Tech University 00:06:20 Aerospace or CS? Passion vs Paycheck? Your Ultimate Career Dilemma! 00:08:48 The ePlane Company: What are eVTOLs or flying taxis 00:22:35 Convincing investors and others of this crazy idea 00:25:53 Evolution of Aerospace Industry in India 00:29:40 IIT Madras: Fostering a Culture of Building 00:35:31 India's Growing Startup & VC Ecosystem 00:37:04 The ePlane Company: Fundraising Success & Future Vision 00:38:50 Navigating Aviation Regulations & Compliance 00:41:09 Agnikul Cosmos: 3D Printed Rocket Engines 00:43:00 The Patience Paradox 00:44:08 GalaxEye Space: World's First Satellite with SAR-EO Fusion 00:47:40 Elon Musk, TuTr Hyperloop and its feasibility 00:53:12 Chennai to Bangalore in 15 Minutes? 00:58:56 Setting up the NCCRD at IIT Madras 01:05:10 Drop Tower at IIT Madras 01:12:10 IIT Madras Thaiyur Campus: A "Build" Wonderland 01:15:28 The Joy of Engineering 01:18:21 Wrap References-

1. The ePlane Company- https://www.eplane.ai/
2. National Centre for Combustion Research and Development- https://www.iitm.ac.in/research/national-research-centres/national-centre-for-combustion-research-and-development
3. Agnikul Cosmos- https://agnikul.in/#/
4. GalaxEye- https://www.galaxeye.space/
5. Avishkar Hyperloop- https://avishkarhyperloop.com/
6. IIT Madras Research Park- https://respark.iitm.ac.in/
7. Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras- http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/
8. Centre For Innovation- https://cfi.iitm.ac.in/

To know more about what makes IIT Madras- the Best Place to Build- hit https://www.bestplacetobuild.com/

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Satya Chakravarthy

  guest

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Best Place To Build, featuring Satya Chakravarthy, Prof. Satya Chakravarthy| "Takes off like a drone, flies like a plane"| Ep. 7 | IIT Madras explores IIT Madras professor on deep tech startups in aerospace, mobility Chakravarthy argues students should “follow your heart” because today’s opportunities exist across fields, not just computer science, and the internet has leveled global awareness and ambition.

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