Waterfly Technologies, a firm established at IIT Madras, is creating electric seagliders, a sustainable alternative to traditional air and ferry travel, with hopes to transform transportation across coastal regions.

These seagliders, also known as Wing-in-Ground (WIG) craft, have a unique design that allows them to take off from water, fly at a height of roughly four meters, and maintain that altitude, utilizing ground effect for efficiency. They are anticipated to achieve top speeds of 500 km/h, fusing the affordability and maneuverability of boats with the speed and comfort of airplanes.  Waterfly demonstrated its design at Aero India in Bengaluru, and by the end of 2025, a prototype is anticipated. The business intends to create a 100 kg prototype by April 2025, and a one-tonne version later that year. By the following year, a full-scale model with a 20-seat capacity and a four-ton payload is anticipated.

These seagliders can fly up to 150 meters and have a flatter design that improves aerodynamic efficiency. Their battery-powered range will be 500 km at first, and a hydrogen-electric version will be able to go up to 2,000 kilometers.  

 Because they can land on water, they are safer than traditional airplanes in emergency situations. With aspirations to expand international travel by 2029, including a route from Dubai to Los Angeles, the airline also targets routes like Chennai to Singapore.  In order to develop the seagliders for both military and civilian use, Waterfly Technologies plans to obtain accreditation from the Indian Register of Shipping by 2026.

In order to support its full-scale prototype and applications in cargo and surveillance, the business is currently looking into defense funding and receiving funds from IIT Madras. Because of its cheaper prices and smaller carbon footprint, it has attracted interest from a variety of industries, including electronics and medicines.  

Waterfly Technologies' Co-Founder and CEO, Harish Rajesh, in a report says, “Travelling from Kolkata to Chennai via WIG craft will cost just Rs 600 per seat for a 1,600 km journey, far cheaper than an AC three-tier train ticket, which costs over Rs 1,500.”