Bengaluru-based electric aircraft startup Sarla Aviation has taken a significant step toward transforming urban air mobility with the showcase of its electric vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL) aircraft at the Invest Karnataka Summit. This fully electric flying taxi, designed for short urban commutes, is expected to cover 160 kilometers on a single charge.
The company has already developed a seven-seater EVTOL prototype and aims to begin pilot testing in Bengaluru.
Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Rakesh Gaonkar, Co-Founder and CTO of Sarla Aviation said, “Our home ground is Bangalore, so we’ll start our pilot test here. We’ll do a couple of routes. Our initial plan is Bangalore Airport being the hub and then a lot of spokes—that is, the five-star hotels in the initial period, and then IT hubs and hospitals as well. Slowly, we will populate more helipads, which will provide more possibilities for different routes.”
Gaonkar further confirmed that Sarla Aviation plans to launch commercial EVTOL operations by early 2029.
Watch accompanying video for entire conversation.
