Big news for the future of travel in India! Andhra Pradesh has joined hands with Bengaluru-based startup Sarla Aviation to build the country’s first huge “giga-scale” factory for electric air taxis. This massive project, called the “Sky Factory”, will be set up in Anantapur district and could change how people zip around busy cities no more long traffic jams!
The deal was sealed with a special agreement (MoU) signed at the CII Partnership Summit 2025. Sarla Aviation plans to pump in about ₹1,300 crore to create a 500-acre campus in Thimmasamudram area. Once ready, this factory could make up to 1,000 electric flying taxis every year one of the biggest such hubs in the world!
These electric air taxis, known as eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft), are like small helicopters that run on batteries. They can take off and land straight up, without needing a long runway. Sarla’s model is a six-seater called “Shunya”, perfect for quick trips in crowded places like Mumbai or Bengaluru. The company wants to start commercial flights by 2029, making travel super fast and eco-friendly with zero emissions.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu handed over the MoU himself, showing how excited the state is. “This will put Andhra Pradesh on the global map for new-age aviation, just like California or Munich,” said officials. The factory will not just build the taxis – it will have everything from testing runways to training centers and even green features like solar power and water recycling.
Sarla Aviation’s co-founder Rakesh Gaonkar said, “We want India to design, build, and fly the world’s best electric air taxis from one big campus here. This Sky Factory will create thousands of jobs and make our country a leader in clean flying!”
The project will create hundreds of high-skill jobs right away and boost local businesses by making parts in India. It fits perfectly with Andhra’s dream to become a top spot for smart manufacturing and green transport.
This comes just days after CM Naidu promised drone taxis in the state soon. With this factory, electric air taxis could soon be flying over Indian skies imagine going from home to office in minutes!
Sources:
- Business Standard: Andhra to host India’s first giga-scale electric air taxi hub in Anantapur
- Business Today: Drone taxis by 2027? India’s first ‘Sky Factory’ set to build 1,000 electric air taxis a year in Andhra Pradesh
- The Hindu BusinessLine: Sarla Aviation to set up ₹1,300 crore eVTOL giga facility in Andhra Pradesh
- Times of India: Sarla Aviation to invest Rs 1,300 cr in 500-acre eVTOL manufacturing campus in Andhra Pradesh
- Deccan Chronicle: Sky Factory: Sarla Aviation to Invest in Anantapur
- Logistics Insider: Andhra Pradesh Partners with Sarla Aviation to Build India’s First Giga-Scale Electric Air Taxi Factory
