On the evening of 27th June 2023, the students of MAHSS had the privilege of being
addressed by the esteemed Professor Satya Chakravarthy, Head of Aerospace
Engineering at IIT Madras.

He began by intriguing us with a very common Indian drawback-Traffic. We were told
how people spend over 3 years of their life stuck in traffic. We at Aryaans are problem
solvers and it was delightful to hear that Professor Satya’s very own ePlane Company
has found the solution to this issue. The ePlane Company is in the process of
manufacturing and commercializing ‘eVTOLs’ which are Electric Vertical Take-Off and
Landing Vehicles. These drones have been expertly engineered to have the most
compact wingspan in the entire world!

Furthermore, Professor Satya gave us an in-depth conspectus of the technology behind
the eVTOLs including –The aerodynamic lift which balances the weight of the aircraft,
Propellors with electricmotors which overcome drag forces and the Optimum placement of
vertical rotors toobtain a large lift with compact wings at low speeds. This is called ‘Synergistic Lift’
and creates an exclusively vertical take-off and landing. This is revolutionary as it would
eliminate the need for large landing spaces and popularize the usage of air-taxis as a
daily use of transport. We could almost imagine ourselves using these air taxis to get to
school!

We were captivated to learn that these planes can carry out multiple short hops in a
single charge. Initially the aircrafts would be used for camera and delivery based
solutions. The eVTOLs are also being designed to carry upto 100-200 kgs of cargo as
well as 2-3 passengers which will be a palpable option for transportation in rough
terrain. Insights were also given into the talented team working tirelessly to bring about
such a technological marvel.

The session was a feast of knowledge for us students. It motivated us to delve further
into the field of aerospace engineering and the designing of aircrafts, all owing to the
magnificent presentation given by Professor Satya. His expertise and passion left us
enraptured. In the past, flying cars were a mere fantasy, but now we know that they are a
definite reality that we could be a part of. We have always been told that “the sky is the
limit”, yet the session showed us that the sky is in fact, limitless. We are ever grateful to
Professor Satya for sharing his knowledge and experiences with us. It has surely left an
indelible mark on our minds.

We are also immensely thankful to VPD sir and the staff at Mushtifund Aryaans for
making this interaction possible. The exposure to distinguished professionals from
various fields has motivated us to pursue our dreams consistently. This session has
surely fueled our ever-increasing thirst for technical knowledge and left us with a
significant appreciation for the aerospace industry.