What Impact Will Drone Taxis Have on Future Transportation in AP ?

Bengaluru-based Sarla Aviation has entered into a major agreement with the Andhra Pradesh Government to establish what it describes as the world’s largest Sky Factory for electric aircraft in Anantapur district. With an investment of ₹1,300 crore, the company will set up a massive 500-acre giga campus dedicated to manufacturing electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft and supporting future air-taxi operations. The MoU was signed with the Andhra Pradesh Airport Development Corporation Ltd during the recent CII Partnership Summit. In the first phase, around 150 acres at Thimmasamduram village in Kalyanadurg mandal will be developed with ₹330 crore for manufacturing units, testing facilities, research labs and a 2-km runway.

Once fully functional, the Sky Factory aims to become India’s first fully integrated eVTOL hub, with the capability to produce up to 1,000 aircraft annually, placing it among the largest such facilities worldwide. The campus will include advanced production lines, India’s biggest wind tunnel, pilot training centres and maintenance units, covering the entire lifecycle of eVTOL technology. The project is being seen as a major step toward promoting advanced manufacturing and clean mobility. The state government also plans to introduce drone taxis within two years, using technologies developed at this facility. Sarla Aviation, founded in 2023 by global eVTOL experts, is designing a six-seater electric flying taxi aimed at reducing travel time in congested cities, with commercial rollout planned toward the end of the decade.