Bengaluru-based electric air taxi startup Sarla Aviation, named after India’s first woman pilot Sarla Thukral, has raised $10 million in a Series A1 funding round led by Accel. The round also saw participation from prominent angel investors, including Binny Bansal (co-founder of Flipkart), Nikhil Kamath (co-founder of Zerodha), and Sriharsha Majety (co-founder of Swiggy). This funding follows a $1.7 million seed round led by Accel and other notable backers, including Tata Motors CTO Rajendra Petkar.
Launched in January 2024, Sarla Aviation aims to address the challenges of urban congestion in India by focusing on electric air taxis capable of carrying higher payloads, even at the expense of shorter ranges. The startup plans to utilize the latest funding to establish a state-of-the-art research and development center in Bengaluru, scale its workforce, and develop new prototypes for testing and data validation.
The company’s first prototype, named Shunya (Hindi for “zero”), will be unveiled at an industry event in New Delhi on January 17. Designed to carry six passengers and a pilot with a payload capacity of up to 680 kilograms, the aircraft has a range of 160 kilometers per charge. This stands in contrast to most flying taxi concepts, which offer greater range but lower payload capacity.
Adrian Schmidt, CEO and co-founder of Sarla Aviation, explained the rationale behind the design. “In India, shorter range is acceptable if we can offer an attractive price point and higher payload capacity,” Schmidt said.
Sarla Aviation’s commercial operations are slated to begin in 2028, starting with airport transfers in Bengaluru, one of the world’s most congested cities. The company plans to gradually expand its services to other major cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune. Additionally, Sarla Aviation intends to launch a free air ambulance service as part of its initial operational phase.
The startup envisions pricing its air taxi services competitively, starting at rates comparable to premium Uber or Ola rides, with long-term plans to make them as affordable as auto-rickshaw fares.
The company currently relies on a third-party supply chain for prototype production but aims to localize up to 80% of its supply chain by the time it commences commercial operations.
Founded by Adrian Schmidt, Rakesh Gaonkar, and Shivam Chauhan, Sarla Aviation is named in honor of Sarla Thukral, a pioneering Indian aviator. The founders bring diverse expertise to the venture, with Schmidt and Gaonkar previously working at Lilium, a Germany-based eVTOL company.
Sarla Aviation will face competition from global and local players, including Archer Aviation, which has partnered with InterGlobe Enterprises, and ePlane, which recently raised $14 million in funding. Both companies are preparing to launch air taxi services in India next year.
The $10 million funding round marks a significant milestone for Sarla Aviation, positioning it as a key player in India’s emerging urban air mobility sector. The startup’s innovative approach, coupled with its focus on affordability and accessibility, aims to transform urban transportation in the country.
