Sarla Aviation has commenced ground testing of its half-scale electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) demonstrator, SYL-X1, at its Bengaluru facility, marking a key transition from design validation to aircraft-scale trials. This phase will assess structural integrity, propulsion integration, and system-level safety as the company advances its vision of a certified, domestically developed electric air taxi tailored for India’s urban mobility needs.

With a 7.5-metre wingspan, SYL-X1 is a certification-aligned sub-scale platform designed to directly inform Sarla Aviation’s planned full-scale aircraft. According to Co-Founder and CTO Rakesh Gaonkar, the milestone underscores the strength of globally experienced Indian engineering teams building with rigor, patience, and world-class standards. He added that the company aims to deliver a platform that is fully designed, certified, produced, and operated in India.

Founded by former Lilium executives Rakesh Gaonkar and Adrian Schmidt, Sarla Aviation has raised $13 million to date. Positioned within India’s emerging advanced air mobility ecosystem, the company is prioritising certification readiness, manufacturing maturity, and long-term operational safety as it progresses toward full-scale testing and future commercial deployment.