Sarla Aviation
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace Electric aircraft |
| Founded | October 2023 |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | , India |
Key people | Adrian Schmidt (CEO) Rakesh Gaonkar (CTO) |
| Products | eVTOL aircraft |
Number of employees | ~70 (2025) |
| Website | www |
Sarla Aviation is an Indian aerospace company headquartered in Bengaluru, founded in October 2023. The company develops electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility in India.[1][2] The company is named after Sarla Thakral, India's first female pilot.[3] As of December 2025, Sarla Aviation has commenced ground testing on a sub-scale demonstrator and plans commercial operations by 2028–2029.[4]
History
Sarla Aviation was founded in October 2023 by Adrian Schmidt and Rakesh Gaonkar, both having prior experience at the German eVTOL firm Lilium.[5] The startup raised $13 million across pre-seed, seed, and Series A rounds, including investments from Accel, Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, and Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal.[6] In January 2025, the company unveiled a full-scale static prototype named Shunya at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in New Delhi.[7] On December 22, 2025, Sarla Aviation announced the start of ground testing for its half-scale eVTOL demonstrator, named SYLLA SYL-X1, at its Bengaluru facility. The 7.5-meter wingspan aircraft was developed in approximately nine months and is described as the largest privately developed eVTOL demonstrator in India.[8][9]
Aircraft
Shunya
Shunya is the company's planned full-scale production eVTOL aircraft, a six-passenger (plus pilot) design intended for urban air taxi services, with potential uses in air ambulance and cargo.[10] Reported specifications include a top speed of 250 km/h, a range optimized for 20–30 km urban trips (potentially up to 160 km with future batteries), and a payload of 680 kg.[11] A full-scale static prototype was displayed in 2025, with a planned wingspan of 15 meters.
SYLLA SYL-X1
The SYLLA SYL-X1 is a half-scale demonstrator aircraft with a 7.5-meter wingspan, designed for validation of structural integrity, propulsion, and safety systems.[12] Built with certification intent, it serves as a technology bridge to the full-scale Shunya. Ground testing began in December 2025.[13]
Manufacturing and operations
In November 2025, Sarla Aviation announced a ₹1,300 crore investment for a 500-acre "Sky Factory" manufacturing campus in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, targeting production of up to 1,000 aircraft annually by 2029.[14] The company aims to launch initial services in Bengaluru by 2028, expanding to other cities, with plans for vertiport networks and partnerships.[15]
See also
References
- ^ Patel, Neha (January 17, 2025). "Sarla Aviation debuts Shunya eVTOL at Bharat Mobility Expo". The Hindu BusinessLine.
- ^ "Startup Sarla Aviation commences ground testing of air taxi at Bengaluru facility". The Hindu BusinessLine. December 22, 2025.
- ^ Sengupta, Chiranti (February 5, 2025). "How Sarla Aviation is drawing from history to build India's flying future". Hindustan Times.
- ^ "Bengaluru-Based Aerospace Company Begins Ground Tests Of Electric Air Taxi". News18. December 22, 2025.
- ^ Mehta, Priya (November 15, 2023). "Ex-Lilium duo launch Sarla Aviation to bring eVTOL to India". TechCrunch.
- ^ "Sarla Aviation Begins Ground Tests of India's Largest Private Electric Air Taxi". Oneindia News. December 22, 2025.
- ^ PTI (January 17, 2025). "Sarla Aviation unveils prototype air taxi, plans to launch flying taxis by 2028". Business Standard.
- ^ "Startup Sarla Aviation commences ground testing of air taxi at Bengaluru facility". Money Control. December 22, 2025.
- ^ "Bengaluru firm begins ground testing of electric flying taxi". The Hindu. December 22, 2025.
- ^ Reddy, Sita (January 20, 2025). "Shunya: Sarla's six-seater eVTOL targets India's congested skies". The Times of India.
- ^ "Sarla Aviation unveils 'air taxi' with up to 160km flying range". The Times of India. January 20, 2025.
- ^ "Startup Sarla Aviation commences ground testing of air taxi at Bengaluru facility". The Hindu BusinessLine. December 22, 2025.
- ^ "Sarla Aviation Begins Ground Testing Of Electric Air Taxi Ahead Of 2028 Launch". BW Disrupt. December 22, 2025.
- ^ Joshi, Rajesh (November 15, 2025). "Sarla Aviation to invest ₹1,300 cr in Andhra eVTOL hub". Moneycontrol.
- ^ Singh, Amit (June 20, 2025). "Sarla Aviation ties up with Makmor for eVTOL vertiports in India". Urban Air Mobility News.