Sarla Aviation Unveils a 500-Acre eVTOL “Sky Factory” in Andhra Pradesh
Sarla Aviation will invest Rs 1,300 crore in a 500-acre eVTOL manufacturing campus in Andhra Pradesh, aiming to build 1,000 aircraft a year.
In a major push toward India’s aerospace ambitions, Sarla Aviation has announced plans to establish a 500-acre eVTOL giga-factory in Andhra Pradesh - a project the company calls the “world’s biggest sky factory.”
With an initial investment of Rs 1,300 crore, the facility is poised to become a central hub for next-generation electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturing, testing, and urban air mobility (UAM) development.
A vision for India’s air-mobility future
Sarla Aviation’s ambitious campus will integrate every stage of eVTOL development - from composites and powertrain systems to testing, certification, and maintenance. The goal is clear: to make India a global centre for advanced aerial mobility.
Co-Founder & CTO Rakesh Gaonkar said the project aims to design, build, test, and operate India’s most advanced eVTOL systems in one integrated ecosystem - a step that could redefine the country’s aviation landscape.
Why the project matters
India has been vocal about building domestic capability across high-technology sectors. This project accelerates that mission by strengthening the local aerospace ecosystem.
Key advantages
- Manufacturing capacity of up to 1,000 eVTOL aircraft annually
- Creation of high-skilled jobs across engineering, manufacturing, testing, and training
- Boost for local MSMEs through supply-chain integration
- Support for dedicated urban air mobility corridors and vertiports
- Alignment with India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and Andhra Pradesh’s Swarna Andhra 2047 roadmap
Inside the 500-acre campus
The proposed giga-facility will feature:
- A 2 km runway for testing and certification
- Simulation labs and innovation centres
- Composite manufacturing units
- Powertrain development and testing zones
- MRO (maintenance, repair & overhaul) infrastructure
- Sustainability features such as renewable energy installations and water-recycling systems
The campus aims to operate as a fully circular aerospace ecosystem - from design and prototyping to mass manufacturing and fleet deployment.
Opportunities and challenges ahead
The project gives India a potential early-mover advantage in the global eVTOL race. Strong state support, growing demand for sustainable mobility, and a strategic push toward advanced manufacturing create fertile ground for success.
However, the eVTOL sector is heavily regulated and highly competitive. Certification, supply-chain scaling, and the development of vertiport infrastructure will be critical. Global rivals are already progressing toward commercial operations, setting a high benchmark for Sarla Aviation’s execution.
A defining moment for India's aerospace future
If executed as envisioned, Sarla Aviation’s sky factory could become a defining milestone for India’s aviation and mobility landscape. By 2029, the company aims to see Indian-designed air-taxis operating across regional corridors - a future in which Andhra Pradesh emerges as a hub for next-generation flight technologies.
While the path from blueprint to reality is long, the announcement marks a significant step in positioning India not just as a participant, but as a leader in the global eVTOL revolution.