Sarla Aviation completes the integrated flight test campaign for Sylla 1.0, its half-scale electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology demonstrator, marking a significant milestone for India’s advanced aviation sector. The Bengaluru-based company conducted more than 500 tests and logged over 18 hours of flight time during the six-month programme.
Weighing 700 kg and featuring a 7.5-metre wingspan, Sylla is the largest and heaviest electric aircraft to achieve vertical take-off in India. Sarla designed, built and flew the demonstrator in less than 12 months, using the programme to validate key aircraft systems under real-world operating conditions.
The flight campaign assessed the integration of the aircraft’s electric propulsion system, 400-volt battery architecture, distributed propulsion system, flight-control software, airframe and landing gear. With the engineering objectives achieved, Sarla will now analyse the collected flight data to support the development of its next technology demonstrator.
Sarla became the first company in India to build and fly a 700 kg-class electric aircraft capable of vertical take-off, operate a 400-volt electric powertrain in flight, demonstrate a distributed-propulsion wing system, and complete full-stack ground testing in line with airworthiness regulations.
According to the company, Sylla 1.0 progressed from concept to flight in under a year with an investment of less than $13 million, highlighting an accelerated and cost-efficient development approach. The achievement follows recent investment from IndiGo Ventures, which has acquired a stake in the company.
Rakesh Gaonkar, Co-Founder and CTO of Sarla Aviation, said the programme was designed to validate engineering assumptions through real flight rather than simulations alone. He noted that the data collected during the campaign is already shaping the company’s next-generation aircraft.
Sarla has begun developing Sylla 2.0, which will build on the lessons from the current programme. Unlike Sylla 1.0, which focused on integrated systems and stable hover, the next demonstrator will attempt controlled transition from vertical lift to sustained wing-borne flight—a critical capability for future passenger eVTOL certification.
The company says every test completed by Sylla 1.0 reduces technical risk for Shunya, its planned 6+1-seat passenger eVTOL designed for regional and urban air mobility. The successful campaign marks an important step toward advancing India’s indigenous electric aviation capabilities.
