IIT Alumni Council Invites Industry Partners to Build India's First Electric Aircraft Ecosystem

Business Standard

7 days ago

PNN
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 30: In a landmark step towards positioning India at the forefront of clean aviation globally, the IIT Alumni Council today unveiled plans to create a fully indigenous ecosystem for the manufacturing of electric aircraft and high-endurance drones under its GO Mobility initiative. The proposed consortium will bring together manufacturers of advanced materials, components, sub-assemblies, and complete systems, alongside service providers for airline operations, drone services, terminal infrastructure, and maintenance and repair. The project seeks to establish India as a global leader in sustainable, autonomous air mobility.
A PUSH FOR INDIGENOUS ELECTRIC AVIATION
The GO AERO platform marks one of the most ambitious aviation projects ever attempted in India. It aims to overcome long-standing barriers in electric aviation by creating a domestic supply chain and technology base capable of delivering large-scale, zero-emission flying vehicles for both civilian and strategic applications.
"Technology takes time and perseverance. Our national objective now is to get ready for global roll out with advance planning. This requires a careful analysis of the PERT chart to identify and work on the critical path activities. To make it to the finish line quickly, all activities have to go on in parallel. The challenge is cost reduction, electrification and safety enhancement. The key technology challenge was availability of suitable battery technologies which has now been solved by the GO Power Technology platform. The project will require cutting edge technology, patient risk capital and viability gap funding. That is why social impact funding from a technology savvy investor group is critical to the plan. This is not an area where government grants alone will deliver global winners. Else it would have happened decades ago," said Dr Girish Deodhare, alumnus of IIT Bombay, former DG of the Aeronautical Development Authority and a firm believer in the need for locally manufactured aircraft based on indigenous technologies. Dr Deodhare spent thirty-three years as part of the core team behind the Tejas light combat aircraft.
"These projects require significant capital investments--possibly exceeding ₹10,000 crores just for the 72-seater Regional Transport Aircraft," said Ravi Sharma, President and Chief Volunteer, IIT Alumni Council. "It is a chicken and egg situation. Till the airplane has a track record, it would be difficult to get customers and till there are customers, it would be difficult to fund the development. The only way out is an integrated approach which crosses the chasm by working backward from the domestic market need, especially in sectors like rural air transportation where existing global options don't exist."
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM AND USE CASES
The GO AERO platform will use an indigenous serial hybrid electric propulsion system from Ionique Research, customisable for diverse applications such as rural air connectivity, emergency medical services, disaster response, mapping, cargo transport, and long-range surveillance.
All aircraft will be fully autonomous, feature multi-fuel micro turbines for range extension, and high-density fireproof MegaCell energy storage integrated into the wings. Runway requirements will not exceed 1,000 metres, with vertical take-off versions for select models.
GO A6: SIX-SEATER FOR RURAL AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
Designed for military reconnaissance, rural connectivity, air ambulance and cargo applications, the GO A6 will be priced under ₹8 crore. It will offer a 300 km/h cruise speed, up to 1,500 km range, and rapid stretcher transfer from ambulance to aircraft in under 120 seconds. Test flights and regulatory filings are planned for January 2026.
GO A18: AMPHIBIAN AIRCRAFT FOR REMOTE AND HIGH ALTITUDE REGIONS
The GO A18, an 18-seater with land and water take-off options, will have a two-ton payload, 1,500 km range, and is priced under ₹18 crore. Test flights are expected in January 2027.
GO A72: 72-SEATER REGIONAL TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT
A pressurised regional aircraft designed for passenger and cargo use, the GO A72 will offer a 4,000 km range, 10-ton payload, and cruise speed of 800 km/h. Unit prices are projected at ₹250 crore, with test flights targeted for January 2028.
GO D20K: HIGH-ENDURANCE PSEUDO-SATELLITE DRONE
The fully autonomous drone will support highway safety, communications, hyperspectral imaging, disaster management, forestry monitoring, and other applications. It will be capable of 1,000-day flight endurance with solar propulsion and backup batteries. Test flights are planned for 2028.
BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS
All aircraft under the GO AERO platform will be powered by Ionique's indigenous serial hybrid electric propulsion system, with sustainable multi-fuel micro turbines for extended range. Ultra-high-density, fireproof MegaCell energy storage systems from Go Power will be integrated into the wings. The aircraft are designed to offer advanced solid wall LCD windows with adjustable zoom screens in place of windows. All versions will feature large transparent cockpits for enhanced visibility.
Potential use cases range from emergency services, air ambulances and disaster relief, to remote area connectivity, surveillance, mapping, cargo operations, and rural air mobility. This ecosystem is expected to create new market segments where no comparable global solutions currently exist.
CALL FOR INDUSTRY PARTNERS
Interested organisations may write to [e-mail] on or before August 15, 2025. Access to the project's data room and related materials will be provided only to patron members of the IIT Alumni Council. This invitation is not open to the public.
ABOUT IIT ALUMNI COUNCIL
The IIT Alumni Council is the largest global body of alumni across all 23 IITs, aggregating the technological and philanthropic resources of over 50,000 members in 100 city chapters worldwide. Its mission is to catalyse India's technological renaissance through initiatives funded by the IIT Alumni Social Fund and supported by incubators, project management forums, and research institutes.