CHENNAI, — Waterfly Technologies, an IIT Madras-incubated startup, plans to conduct the first ocean trial of its autonomous electric Wing-in-Ground (WIG) craft, Hummingbird, by the end of December 2026. The trial will take place along the Chennai-Puducherry coastline to assess the craft's performance in open-sea conditions.
Co-founder Keshav Kumar Choudhary said the company will use the existing 300 kg prototype previously tested at Kaveripakkam Lake in Tamil Nadu's Ranipet district. Waterfly unveiled Hummingbird in Chennai on October 11, 2026, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who congratulated the team and expressed hope that the craft would soon operate over the ocean.
Hummingbird Specifications and Technology
Hummingbird is an all-electric, sea-skimming craft that uses the ground effect, in which flying close to the water surface reduces induced drag and improves aerodynamic efficiency compared with conventional flight at higher altitudes.
The craft has a maximum take-off weight of 300 kg, a 150 kg cargo payload capacity, a targeted range of 300 km on a single charge and a cruising speed of 150 km/h. Earlier lake tests took place at around 1.5 metres above the water, while related design concepts target operating heights of 2–5 metres.
Development began with a 30 kg prototype. The team spent approximately six months building and testing it to understand water take-off and the transition into flight, followed by another six months scaling the design to 300 kg.
Commercial Plans and Future Development
Waterfly initially targets coastal and island cargo routes, including logistics support for offshore oil fields. The company estimates charging stops of around 15 minutes and is exploring ships equipped with solar panels and batteries as at-sea charging stations. Its target operating cost is below Rs 10 per tonne-kilometre.
The startup plans a larger version capable of carrying one standard 20-foot shipping container, with Southeast Asia as an early target market. Longer-term plans include routes across the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans.
Waterfly has also outlined a future 3,000-tonne hydrogen-electric WIG craft for intercontinental freight. Its stated ambition is to transport cargo between any two coastal cities worldwide within a day for less than $500. These remain long-term objectives.
Founded in 2024–2025, Waterfly Technologies was established by Harish Rajesh, CEO and co-founder and an IIT Madras alumnus, along with Keshav Kumar Choudhary and Harshin N. The company is incubated at IIT Madras, is associated with the IIT Madras Research Park, has reportedly raised around $250,000 in seed funding and has established manufacturing capacity in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
Defence Applications and WIG Development
Wing-in-ground technology has been explored for decades. The Soviet Union developed large ekranoplans during the Cold War, while Boeing proposed the Pelican heavy-transport concept. In the United States, DARPA's Liberty Lifter programme studied a heavy-lift seaplane designed to operate using ground effect. The programme concluded in June 2025 after simulations and materials testing demonstrated feasibility. DARPA did not proceed with a full-scale demonstrator and instead planned to transfer technical findings to industry and defence partners.
Hummingbird could have potential applications in maritime logistics, coastal transport and suitable defence roles for the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard. Its payload and speed may offer advantages for certain missions, while armed applications remain a possibility rather than a confirmed capability.
In 2023, the defence innovation initiative iDEX recognised Micronel Global's Zebra unmanned seaplane as a winner. However, its current status remains unclear, and unlike Hummingbird, it does not use ground-effect technology.
The immediate priority is the December 2026 ocean trial, which will help Waterfly assess the craft in real maritime conditions and determine the next steps towards commercial operations.
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