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With the help of IIT Madras, Waterfly Technologies is preparing to develop a unique sea car. It will complete the journey from Kolkata to Chennai in just three hours, and its fare is claimed to be only Rs 600
These electric sea-gliders will be wing-in-ground (WIG) crafts that take off from the water and fly at a height of 4 metres. Businessman Anand Mahindra also appeared to be quite impressed by it. (News18 Hindi)
Travelling from Kolkata to Chennai in just three hours, and at a fare of only Rs 600, may sound like fiction, but this dream could soon become a reality. Waterfly Technologies, a start-up supported by the incubation cell of IIT Madras, has made this astonishing claim.
Businessman Anand Mahindra also appeared to be quite impressed by it, even remarking that IIT Madras seems to be competing with Silicon Valley in terms of promoting start-ups. His post about this new invention has captured people’s attention and has gone viral.
Anand Mahindra posted on social media X: “Almost every week there is news of a new tech venture. What I liked about it is not just the promise of exploiting our vast waterways, but also the fact that the design of this vehicle is so amazing!”
IIT Madras promises to rival silicon valley in terms of nurturing startups…!Almost every week there’s news of a new ‘TechVenture’
What I like about this one is not just the promise of exploitation of our vast waterways, but the fact that the design of the craft is stunning!… https://t.co/UttbRFYQGW
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 25, 2025
Earlier, at Aero India 2025, the company’s co-founder Harsh Rajesh stated that they plan to make this journey both cheaper and faster by using electric sea-gliders. These will be wing-in-ground (WIG) crafts that take off from the water and fly at a height of four metres.
According to a report published in The New Indian Express, he added, “The 1,600 km journey from Kolkata to Chennai can be completed for just Rs 600 per seat, which is cheaper than an AC three-tier train ticket.”
Keshav Chaudhary, another co-founder of the start-up, explained the scientific rationale behind this unique concept. He noted that the special aircraft will fly very close to the surface of the water, thereby taking advantage of the ground effect. This reduces the friction on the wings and increases lift due to air cushioning, enabling it to fly even at low speeds.
For example, a typical Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 consumes between 2.5 and 3 tonnes of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to fly from Kolkata to Chennai, the current price of which is about Rs 95,000 per kilolitre. However, Waterfly’s Seaglider can reduce this cost substantially, which will, in turn, result in very affordable ticket prices.
Keshav Chaudhary also mentioned that the manufacturing cost of his design will be significantly lower than that of a conventional aeroplane. “Because we do not fly at high altitude, we do not have to contend with low air pressure, meaning our aircraft does not need to be built as robustly. This reduces the cost of construction considerably,” he explained.
Furthermore, the engine of this aircraft will not need to be as powerful as those in conventional aeroplanes. “An aeroplane has to take off before the runway ends, but we have the entire sea. For us, the runway is endless, and this does not put undue pressure on the engine.”
At present, the project is in its initial stages. At Aero India, the company presented only its design. The first prototype, weighing 100 kg, is expected to be ready within the next few months, and by the end of 2025 a one-tonne prototype should be capable of flight. The company aims to develop a 20-seater model by 2026, which will be able to travel from Chennai to Kolkata.
IIT Madras has provided financial assistance for this project, and the company is now seeking to raise further funding from the defence sector. In the future, this technology could also be applied to cargo shipping and surveillance operations.
