Chairman of Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra, expressed his admiration for the design of electric seagliders that is being developed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras-incubated start-up, Waterfly Technologies.
Reposting this news on social media platform X on Tuesday, February 25, the chairman highlighted the "stunning" design of the Wing-in-Ground (WIG) aircraft.
Lauding such efforts by the institution, he wrote, "IT Madras promises to rival silicon valley in terms of nurturing startups…! Almost every week there’s news of a new ‘TechVenture’"
So, what is so special about this new invention?
These electric sea gliders offer a sustainable alternative to air and ferry travel, and harness ground effect to boost efficiency. It would deliver the speed of an aircraft with the affordability and manoeuvrability of a boat.
According to the original post, the WIGs are developed as a new mode of transportation, making use of waterways this time.
It read, "IIT Madras-backed startup Waterfly Technologies aims to add a new mode of transport in India. Kolkata to Chennai at Rs 600 by traveling in a WIG craft, which runs 4 meters above the sea surface."
A commenter on the post suggested that the design might not be the first, mentioning that the Italian company "Centrostiledesign" had already created a concept for waterways travel.
Another user posted that IIT Madras played a pivotal role in developing a 422-meter hyperloop test track that can enable a 300-kilometer journey in 30 minutes!
