New Delhi: A significant transformation is about to take place in the field of air mobility in India. An aerospace startup company named Sarla Aviation has announced that it will launch the country’s first electric flying taxi, Shunya, by the year 2028. The service will first be introduced in Bengaluru, followed by expansion into major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, and Pune.
The company’s CEO, Adrian Schmidt, shared that the goal is to expand this service across India within five years. A noteworthy point is that the cost of a single trip will be equivalent to that of premium cab services like Ola and Uber, making it affordable for the general public.
Flight at 250 km/h with a Range of 160 km
The Shunya air taxi is being developed entirely on an electric platform. It can fly at a maximum speed of 250 kilometers per hour and cover a distance of up to 160 kilometers on a single charge. However, the company aims to use it primarily for urban travel over distances of 25 to 30 kilometers, helping to ease traffic congestion.
The taxi can carry six passengers and one pilot at a time, with a total loading capacity of around 680 kilograms. While the company has currently unveiled its prototype, the production version is expected to feature several technological upgrades.
Not Just for Passengers — Also Ready for Medical Services
The Shunya air taxi won’t be limited to just passenger transport; it is also being developed for emergency medical services. The company has announced that it will launch a free air ambulance service in urban areas to transport critical patients to hospitals on time, bypassing traffic congestion.
This innovation is being hailed as a revolutionary step for India’s aerospace technology and green transport. In the coming years, when people begin commuting between home and office through the skies instead of roads, this service will create a new chapter in the country’s history.