Business · India Bureau
Tata Elxsi partners with Sarla Aviation on urban air mobility platform
Design and technology services firm Tata Elxsi has signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based startup Sarla Aviation to jointly develop the company's Shunya air taxi platform. The collaboration aims to accelerate the development of advanced air mobility solutions for urban transportation.
LSN India ·
Tata Elxsi will provide comprehensive engineering support for the Shunya platform, focusing on avionics systems including flight control mechanisms, software integration, and testing protocols. The firm will also assist with verification, validation and regulatory certification processes essential for bringing the air taxi service to market.
Sarla Aviation will retain responsibility for leading the overall design, development and type certification of the Shunya platform. The partnership leverages the complementary strengths of both organizations in advancing India's emerging urban air mobility sector.
Beyond the core avionics work, the collaboration creates scope for extended support across sensor fusion-based navigation software, industrial design, structural engineering, and airworthiness testing. These additional capabilities address multiple technical challenges in developing commercially viable air taxi operations.
The partnership reflects growing industry momentum around advanced air mobility solutions in India. As urban congestion intensifies across major metropolitan areas, stakeholders are increasingly exploring aerial transportation platforms to supplement conventional ground-based transit networks. The Shunya initiative positions both companies at the forefront of this emerging segment.