Shunya Is India's Hybrid-Electric Flying Taxi for Cities
Shunya is a hybrid-electric flying taxi from Sarla Aviation, built for six passengers and cleared under India's new eVTOL certification framework.
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Shunya
Shunya Is India's Hybrid-Electric Flying Taxi for Cities
A commute that takes two and a half hours by
car can now be measured in minutes instead. That is the gap Sarla Aviation is
trying to close with Shunya, a hybrid-electric flying taxi built for India's
most congested cities. The company was founded by Adrian Schmidt and Rakesh
Gaonkar, who developed their expertise at Lilium in Germany before relocating
to Bengaluru to build an aircraft suited to Indian conditions. More than 30
percent of the team has prior experience at established names in electric aviation
and automotive engineering, including Lilium, Joby, Tesla, and Volocopter.
Shunya recently reached two milestones that
moved it from concept toward certified aircraft. A half-scale flight test
demonstrator, named Sylla, completed its test campaign, and Sarla became the
first company to receive a Design Organisation Approval under India's dedicated
eVTOL certification framework. Both developments mark a shift from design work
to the formal, regulator-supervised process that any aircraft must pass through
before carrying passengers.
How Shunya Works
Shunya is a hybrid-electric aircraft powered by
two double-isolated battery packs alongside a sustainable aviation fuel tank,
which together drive seven electric propulsion units. This hybrid layout is
what lets the aircraft cover long distances while still supporting fully
electric operation for shorter urban hops. According to Sarla, the aircraft can
fly up to 800 kilometers using its combined battery and fuel systems, while
remaining optimized for electric-only trips of up to 150 kilometers, at speeds
reaching 250 kilometers per hour.
The aircraft takes off vertically from any flat
surface, whether a rooftop or an open plot of land, then transitions into
forward flight by gliding on fixed wings. Sarla describes its overall approach
as one built on simplicity: fewer components are intended to mean fewer points
of failure, lower maintenance needs, and ultimately a lower cost per ride. The
company designed Shunya to carry one pilot and up to six passengers, with a
payload capacity the company states is the highest in its market segment.
Exploring the Practical Benefits of Shunya
Shunya's cabin is designed to adapt to more
than one type of trip. A six-seat configuration is intended for everyday,
high-frequency routes, while a four-seat "club" layout offers more
legroom and a different seating angle for passengers traveling for leisure or
business. A separate cargo configuration opens loading access from both sides
of the aircraft and is built around a standardized platform for moving freight
rather than people. Sarla has also stated it will offer a dedicated air ambulance
version, intended for rapid medical response.
Inside the cabin, the interior is actively
sound-managed to reduce noise during flight, and seating is built to
automotive-grade comfort standards while still meeting aviation certification
requirements. Materials include fabric made from recycled plastic bottles, part
of the company's broader commitment to the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals. Luggage storage sits in the tail of the aircraft with
exterior access, a detail Sarla designed so that passengers are not limited in
what they can bring on board, unlike many compact urban air mobility concepts.
Unique Angle: A Regulatory First for India
Sarla's Design Organisation Approval is more
than a company milestone. It was issued under India's dedicated eVTOL
certification framework, and Sarla was the first company to receive one,
meaning its aircraft is now the reference case for how that entire regulatory
pathway will function in practice. The approval clears Sarla to move forward
with the type certification process required before Shunya can carry paying
passengers.
Beyond certification, Sarla has been building
the partnerships an air taxi network would need to operate. The company has
signed agreements with Manipal Hospitals and an air ambulance provider to
explore medical evacuation services, and with Kempegowda International Airport
in Bengaluru for last-mile connectivity between the airport and the surrounding
metro area. A separate agreement with Cochin International Airport is exploring
vertiport infrastructure and advanced air mobility applications in Kerala. Airline
carrier IndiGo has also taken a financial stake in the company, tying Shunya's
development to an existing aviation and travel network rather than building one
from nothing.
Industry Context
Urban air mobility remains a young and largely
unproven category worldwide. Several companies across different countries are
developing electric or hybrid-electric aircraft for short passenger trips, and
most, including Sarla, have not yet begun commercial passenger service. The
core technical challenge shared across the category is the same one Shunya is
built around: batteries capable of carrying meaningful payload over useful
distances, while still meeting the safety margins aviation regulators require for
aircraft that will fly over populated areas.
Regulatory approval is often the larger
bottleneck than the engineering itself, since certifying an entirely new
aircraft category requires building the review process alongside the aircraft.
Sarla's approval is a first test of India's own framework for this class of
vehicle, and questions remain open about how quickly the full type
certification process can move, how the aircraft performs across India's varied
climate and air traffic conditions, and whether the cost of a ride can reach
the ride-hailing price point the company has stated as its goal. Those
questions will only be answered as testing and certification continue.
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