Aerospace startup Sarla Aviation will launch electric air taxis in Mumbai and Delhi a couple of months after starting operations in Bengaluru, as shared by its CEO and co-founder, Adrian Schmidt.
After China approved pilotless air taxis for commercial use this month, India is not staying behind.
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Sarla Aviation announces launch of electric air taxis in India
At Startup Mahakumbh 2025, Schmidt disclosed that within five years of the launch, they would aim to provide the services to ‘every corner’ of the country. [Source: Financial Express]
The air taxi services are expected to commence in Bengaluru by 2028, and then gradually roll out into other metros.
From 20 employees in January, Sarla Aviation has expanded its team to 47 people.
By the end of the year, the company aims to have around 80-120 employees, as shared by Schmidt. Last year, they partnered with the Bengaluru International Airport to facilitate the launch of a flying taxi service.
The aviation company is backed by a $10 million Series A funding round led by Accel, Flipkart’s Binny Bansal, Nikhil Kamath, and Swiggy’s Sriharsha Majety, among other angel investors.
According to reports, each air taxi would be able to carry six passengers with a total load capacity of 680 kg and reach speeds of up to 250 km/h.
The electric aircraft with a maximum range of 160 km will initially be used for short urban routes of 25–30 km.
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