A major step toward airborne urban transport is taking shape in southern India. Sarla Aviation has signed an agreement with the Andhra Pradesh government to set up a large-scale manufacturing facility for electric flying taxis in the Anantapur district.
Sarla Aviation will build the new plant across 500 acres with an investment of ₹1,300 crore. The facility will focus on producing eVTOLs, or electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, and will have the capacity to manufacture 1,000 electric air taxis every year. Once completed, it is expected to be the world’s largest eVTOL manufacturing unit.
With this project, Andhra Pradesh will become the first state in India to manufacture indigenous electric air taxis. The move positions the state as a key hub for next-generation aviation and could reshape urban mobility across the country.
The Bengaluru-based startup has already successfully tested a flying prototype recently. It is working on a helicopter-class, vertical take-off aircraft with a 15-metre wingspan. A half-scale prototype with a 7.5-metre wingspan was tested at its Bengaluru facility, and a full-scale static aircraft was showcased at a national mobility event earlier this year.
Sarla Aviation aims to launch India’s first flying taxi service by 2028, with a full-scale flying model expected by 2027. The company believes these electric air taxis could significantly reduce traffic congestion in major cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi, where daily commutes are becoming increasingly time-consuming.
The aircraft are designed to take off and land vertically, requiring only small launch pads. This allows for multiple launch facilities to be set up within cities, especially in dense urban areas. The company is developing the platform as a fully electric system with fewer moving parts and a strong focus on software-driven controls, helping reduce operational costs and technical complexity.
Sarla Aviation has already secured $13 million in funding for the project and continues development and testing at its Bengaluru site. As Indian cities struggle with overcrowded roads and long travel times, electric flying taxis are being positioned as a potential solution for faster and cleaner urban transport.
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