Tata Elxsi, a global design and technology services company, and Sarla Aviation, an advanced air mobility company, have signed a MoU to collaborate on the development of Shunya, a six-seater plus one pilot electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The partnership combines Sarla Aviation’s urban air mobility plans with Tata Elxsi’s expertise in aerospace, software and flight-critical digital engineering.
Engineering support
Tata Elxsi will provide engineering support across avionics, including flight control systems, software integration, testing, verification, validation and certification.
Sarla Aviation will lead the design, development and type certification of the Shunya platform. The collaboration will also cover sensor-fusion-based navigation software, industrial and structural design, and airworthiness test support.
300-Km range target
Designed for a range of more than 300 km, Shunya will combine vertical take-off and landing capability with fixed-wing cruise efficiency.
The aircraft is expected to enable runway-independent operations and improve propulsion efficiency. Its first flight is targeted within the next 18 to 24 months, followed by certification activities.
Focus on advanced air mobility
“Building a new class of aircraft is not simply an engineering challenge. It requires bringing together people and organisations willing to solve problems that have never been solved before in this market,” Sarla Aviation, Co-Founder & CEO, Adrian Schmidt, said.
“Tata Elxsi’s experience in complex aerospace systems gives us access to capabilities that are critical as we take Shunya from concept to reality,” he said.
Leadership comment
“Every major shift in transportation has been enabled by a combination of engineering innovation and ecosystem readiness. Advanced air mobility is no different,” Tata Elxsi, CEO & Managing Director, Manoj Raghavan, said.
“Shunya is a reminder of how quickly aerospace innovation is evolving in shaping the technology landscape in India,” Tata Elxsi, Head of Aerospace, Jayaraj Rajapandian, said.
Wider Applications Planned
“Entirely new opportunities are emerging to rethink how people, goods and critical services move,” he said.
Beyond Shunya, the partnership is expected to strengthen capabilities for logistics, air ambulance services and defence-related applications.