Sarla Aviation has announced a landmark investment of ₹1,300 crore to establish a sprawling 500-acre “giga campus” for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturing in Andhra Pradesh.

This project represents one of India's most ambitious efforts to shape the future of aerospace and urban air mobility by bringing next-generation aircraft production, testing, and operations into one integrated ecosystem by 2029.​

This giga facility, referred to as the world’s biggest “sky factory,” aims to manufacture up to 1,000 eVTOL aircraft annually, making it one of the largest production hubs for such systems globally.

The campus will host full-cycle capabilities, including composite manufacturing, powertrain production, landing gear assembly, wire harness fabrication, embedded flight-control computer systems, flight testing, certification, pilot training, and maintenance operations.​

Strategic infrastructure at the site includes a dedicated two-kilometre runway, multiple VTOL testing pads, and India’s largest wind tunnel. Advanced R&D laboratories, simulation environments, and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) units will support the complete lifecycle of eVTOL aircraft within India for the first time. The facility is designed to international aerospace standards, aligning with India’s ambition to emerge as a global leader in sustainable aerial mobility and urban air transport.​

The project has strong government backing, with a formal memorandum of understanding signed in the presence of Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu. It is envisioned as a catalyst for regional economic growth, expected to create thousands of highly skilled jobs in engineering, manufacturing, certification, and training.

Moreover, it will foster local MSME participation, strengthening the domestic aerospace supply chain and underpinning India’s strategic goals for indigenous aerospace capability development.​

Sarla Aviation’s founding team includes experts from leading global eVTOL companies such as Lilium, Volocopter, and Joby Aviation.

Their flagship project is a six-seater electric flying taxi designed to reduce commute times in India’s major congested cities, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune. The campus plans to support urban air mobility corridors and vertiports across South India, enabling the deployment of India-designed eVTOL air taxis by the end of this decade.​

Sustainability forms a critical part of the campus design, incorporating renewable energy systems, water recycling, circular economy processes, biodiversity zones, and green buffers.

Sarla Aviation aims to set a global standard for integrated aerospace manufacturing ecosystems with this project, reinforcing India’s long-term vision for a Viksit (developed) aerospace sector and sustainable urban transportation revolution.​

Sarla Aviation's ₹1,300 crore investment in Andhra Pradesh to build India’s largest eVTOL manufacturing campus is a transformative development for the country’s aerospace industry. The project promises to establish a high-tech, fully integrated facility for the design, production, testing, and operation of electric flying taxis, positioning India as a key player in the global urban air mobility market by 2029.​

Agencies