China No Big Deal, Three Indian Cities To Start Air Taxi Services Soon

Air Taxi services to soon be a reality! Yes. India is just a step closer to embrace futuristic urban mode of transportation. Aerospace startup Sarla Aviation has geared up to launch air taxi services in major cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai. The services are expected to roll out in Bengaluru by 2028, followed by a gradual expansion into other metros.

Sarla Aviation had unveiled India's first electric Vertical Take off and Landing (eVTOL) flying taxi prototype ‘Shunya’ at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 held in January. With air taxi services launched, urban travel will be redefined with short-haul air commutes and reduced travel time in crowded cities. 

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Sarla Aviation CEO Shares His Vision

Speaking at Startup Mahakumbh, Sarla Aviation CEO and Co-founder Adrian Schmidt shared the vision of his company. He reportedly spoke about his plan to make Sarla Aviation the largest electric air taxi manufacturer in India within five years after its Bengaluru launch. He further clarified that the startup is primarily focusing on being a manufacturing pioneer and not a service provider, and the company is open to supplying its aircraft to third-party operators.

Backed by $10 million in Series A funding led by Accel and high-profile investors including Flipkart's Binny Bansal, Nikhil Kamath, and Swiggy's Sriharsha Majety, Sarla Aviation plans to deploy 30 air taxis in Bengaluru by 2028.

6 Passengers, 680 kg capacity: Know All About - Shunya

Reports further revealed that each air taxi will be able to carry six passengers with a total load capacity of 680 kg. Capable of reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h, the electric aircraft has a maximum range of 160 km, though it will initially be used for short urban routes of 25–30 km.

China Hides Face In Shame

China this month approved pilotless air taxis for commercial use. The EH216-S eVTOL can carry two customers per sight-seeing trip above Guangzhou, a port city in northwest of Hong Kong on Pearl River.

Recently, in a much embarrassment to China, a video of a its electric air taxi flipping over in a botched take-off attempt went viral. The incident reportedly took place on March 30 at Huahua World during a test flight demonstration. The video shows the air taxi tipping onto its side, rolling over seconds after the pilot attempted a take-off and the propeller started to spin.