CRVMargarette: Adding A Details

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Adding A Details

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{{Short description|Indian aerospace startup}}

{{Infobox company
| name = Sarla Aviation
| logo =
| type = Private
| industry = [[Aerospace]]
[[Electric aircraft]]
| founded = {{Start date|2023|10}}
| founders = {{ubl|Adrian Schmidt|Rakesh Gaonkar}}
| hq_location_city = [[Bengaluru]]
| hq_location_country = India
| key_people = Adrian Schmidt ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])
Rakesh Gaonkar ([[Chief technology officer|CTO]])
| products = [[eVTOL]] aircraft
| num_employees = ~70 (2025)
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.sarla-aviation.com/}}
}}
'''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.<ref>{{cite news|last=Patel|first=Neha|title=Sarla Aviation debuts Shunya eVTOL at Bharat Mobility Expo|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/sarla-aviation-debuts-shunya-evtol-at-bharat-mobility-expo/article69012345.ece|work=The Hindu BusinessLine|date=January 17, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Startup Sarla Aviation commences ground testing of air taxi at Bengaluru facility|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/startup-sarla-aviation-commences-ground-testing-of-air-taxi-at-bengaluru-facility/article70425465.ece|work=The Hindu BusinessLine|date=December 22, 2025}}</ref>
The company is named after Sarla Thakral, India's first female pilot.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sengupta|first=Chiranti|title=How Sarla Aviation is drawing from history to build India's flying future|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/how-sarla-aviation-is-drawing-from-history-to-build-indias-flying-future-101738945612345.html|work=Hindustan Times|date=February 5, 2025}}</ref> As of December 2025, Sarla Aviation has commenced ground testing on a sub-scale demonstrator and plans commercial operations by 2028–2029.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bengaluru-Based Aerospace Company Begins Ground Tests Of Electric Air Taxi|url=https://www.news18.com/cities/bengaluru-news/bengaluru-based-aerospace-company-begins-ground-tests-of-electric-air-taxi-ws-e-9785997.html|work=News18|date=December 22, 2025}}</ref>
== History ==
Sarla Aviation was founded in October 2023 by Adrian Schmidt and Rakesh Gaonkar, both having prior experience at the German eVTOL firm [[Lilium GmbH|Lilium]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Mehta|first=Priya|title=Ex-Lilium duo launch Sarla Aviation to bring eVTOL to India|url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/15/ex-lilium-duo-launch-sarla-aviation-evtol-india/|work=TechCrunch|date=November 15, 2023}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sarla Aviation Begins Ground Tests of India’s Largest Private Electric Air Taxi|url=https://www.oneindia.com/bengaluru/sarla-aviation-begins-ground-tests-of-india-s-largest-private-electric-air-taxi-7947980.html|work=Oneindia News|date=December 22, 2025}}</ref>
In January 2025, the company unveiled a full-scale static prototype named Shunya at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in [[New Delhi]].<ref>{{cite news|last=PTI|title=Sarla Aviation unveils prototype air taxi, plans to launch flying taxis by 2028|url=https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/sarla-aviation-unveils-prototype-air-taxi-plans-to-launch-flying-taxis-by-2028-125011701308_1.html|work=Business Standard|date=January 17, 2025}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Startup Sarla Aviation commences ground testing of air taxi at Bengaluru facility|url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/startup-sarla-aviation-commences-ground-testing-of-air-taxi-at-bengaluru-facility-13737965.html|work=Money Control|date=December 22, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bengaluru firm begins ground testing of electric flying taxi|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/bengaluru-firm-begins-ground-testing-of-electric-flying-taxi/article70425170.ece|work=The Hindu|date=December 22, 2025}}</ref>
== 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.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reddy|first=Sita|title=Shunya: Sarla's six-seater eVTOL targets India's congested skies|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/auto/news/sarla-aviation-unveils-air-taxi-with-up-to-30km-flying-range-launch-date-and-more/articleshow/117357074.cms|work=The Times of India|date=January 20, 2025}}</ref> 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.<ref name="toi">{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/auto/news/sarla-aviation-unveils-air-taxi-with-up-to-30km-flying-range-launch-date-and-more/articleshow/117357074.cms|work=The Times of India|date=January 20, 2025|title=Sarla Aviation unveils ‘air taxi’ with up to 160km flying range}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Startup Sarla Aviation commences ground testing of air taxi at Bengaluru facility|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/startup-sarla-aviation-commences-ground-testing-of-air-taxi-at-bengaluru-facility/article70425465.ece|work=The Hindu BusinessLine|date=December 22, 2025}}</ref> Built with certification intent, it serves as a technology bridge to the full-scale Shunya. Ground testing began in December 2025.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sarla Aviation Begins Ground Testing Of Electric Air Taxi Ahead Of 2028 Launch|url=https://www.bwdisrupt.com/article/sarla-aviation-begins-ground-testing-of-electric-air-taxi-ahead-of-2028-launch-584499|work=BW Disrupt|date=December 22, 2025}}</ref>
== 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.<ref>{{cite news|last=Joshi|first=Rajesh|title=Sarla Aviation to invest ₹1,300 cr in Andhra eVTOL hub|url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/sarla-aviation-to-invest-rs-1300-crore-in-500-acre-aerospace-factory-in-andhra-pradesh-12845678.html|work=Moneycontrol|date=November 15, 2025}}</ref> The company aims to launch initial services in Bengaluru by 2028, expanding to other cities, with plans for vertiport networks and partnerships.<ref>{{cite news|last=Singh|first=Amit|title=Sarla Aviation ties up with Makmor for eVTOL vertiports in India|url=https://www.urbanairmobilitynews.com/air-taxis/indias-sarla-aviation-partners-with-makmor-to-develop-nationwide-network-of-vertiports|work=Urban Air Mobility News|date=June 20, 2025}}</ref>

== See also ==

[[eVTOL]]

[[Urban Air Mobility]]

[[Aviation in India]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==

{{Official website|https://www.sarla-aviation.com/}}

[[Category:Indian companies established in 2023]]
[[Category:Aerospace companies of Asia]]

Sarla Aviation - Revision history

CRVMargarette: Adding A Details