In a major stride for India’s aerospace ambitions, Sarla Aviation has confirmed the establishment of a 500-acre aerospace mega campus in Andhra Pradesh. The official MoU was personally presented by Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, in the presence of Shri Ram Mohan Naidu, Hon’ble Union Minister of Civil Aviation, and Shri B.C. Janardhan Reddy, Hon’ble Minister for Roads & Buildings and Infrastructure & Investment. Sarla Aviation acknowledged the crucial role played by Shri B.C. Janardhan Reddy in steering the project forward.
Envisioned as a state-of-the-art Urban Air Mobility (UAM) complex, the facility will focus on the production of electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, marking India’s entry into next-generation aerial transport. The project begins with an investment of ₹1,300 crore, with substantial future capacity build-up in the pipeline. This initiative positions India among the few global regions emerging as major eVTOL manufacturing centres.
The company’s plan for the world’s largest “sky factory” aligns closely with national goals under Viksit Bharat 2047, championed by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, and the Swarna Andhra 2047 vision set by the Hon’ble Chief Minister. While places such as California and Munich are becoming early hotspots for eVTOL innovation, Andhra Pradesh is now poised to join this league of global hubs, with Sarla Aviation taking a leading role.
Rakesh Gaonkar, Co-Founder & CTO, Sarla Aviation, remarked, “Our aim is to make India a powerhouse for the future of aviation. This mega campus will build tomorrow’s aircraft, generate thousands of specialised jobs, and place India firmly on the world map for sustainable aerial mobility. We want the entire lifecycle—design, manufacturing, testing, flight operations—to be rooted in a single integrated location.”
Once commissioned, the campus will be India’s first end-to-end ecosystem dedicated to eVTOL production. Built to international aerospace benchmarks, the factory will be capable of delivering up to 1,000 aircraft annually, making it one of the highest-capacity eVTOL manufacturing bases worldwide.
The upcoming hub will host advanced production lines for composite structures, propulsion systems, wire harnesses, avionics, landing gear, control systems, and embedded electronics. Infrastructure highlights include India’s largest wind tunnel, a two-kilometre runway, and specialised VTOL testing zones. The site will also feature cutting-edge R&D laboratories, simulation facilities, pilot training centres, and MRO operations, allowing the complete lifecycle of eVTOL aircraft to be managed within the country.
Environmental responsibility is a key element of the blueprint. The campus will incorporate renewable energy, efficient water-use systems, zero-liquid-discharge processes, and circular-economy practices for metal and composite materials. Green corridors and biodiversity zones are planned throughout the site.
Sarla Aviation is partnering closely with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to develop the broader ecosystem required for UAM operations, including certification infrastructure, R&D support, vertiports, and urban mobility corridors. This collaboration aims to enable commercial air-taxi services across major cities in South India by 2029.
The project is set to strengthen India’s aerospace manufacturing landscape by generating high-skill employment, encouraging MSME participation, and reducing reliance on imported aviation components. By localising production of key aircraft systems, Sarla Aviation intends to accelerate India’s emergence as a global centre for UAM manufacturing and services.
