Sarla Aviation, an electric air taxi startup, has raised $10 million in a Series A1 funding round led by Accel. The round saw participation from notable angel investors, including Binny Bansal (Flipkart co-founder), Nikhil Kamath (Zerodha co-founder), and Sriharsha Majety (Swiggy co-founder). The Bengaluru-based company aims to revolutionize urban mobility in India with aircraft designed to handle higher payloads, even if it means shorter ranges compared to conventional flying taxis.
The startup, founded in January 2024 by Adrian Schmidt, Rakesh Gaonkar, and Shivam Chauhan, plans to use the new funding to expand its team, establish a research and development center in Bengaluru, and develop new prototypes for further validation. Schmidt, the company’s co-founder and CEO, explained, “In India, a shorter range is fine, as long as you can offer it at an attractive price point. And that’s what we’re trying to achieve with this higher payload.”
Unlike traditional flying taxis, which generally carry two to four passengers, Sarla Aviation’s design focuses on vehicles capable of transporting six passengers and a pilot, with a maximum weight of 680 kilograms (1,500 pounds). This larger payload reduces the vehicle’s range to 160 kilometers (99 miles) per battery charge, compared to the 120 to 160 miles offered by most eVTOL concepts.
Sarla Aviation’s prototype, named Shunya (meaning “zero” in Hindi), will be showcased at an industry event in New Delhi on January 17. The startup plans to start testing its prototypes later this year, with a goal to launch its first commercial air taxi service in Bengaluru by 2028. Initially, the service will offer airport transfers in Bengaluru, with expansion plans to cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune. Additionally, the company aims to launch a free air ambulance service alongside its commercial operations.
Sarla Aviation competes with other well-funded players in the space, such as Archer Aviation, which has partnered with InterGlobe Enterprises, and ePlane, which raised $14 million in funding in November 2024. Both companies are aiming to launch flying taxi services in India next year.
