JNS: In a landmark development for urban air mobility, Sona SPEED, a leading precision manufacturing firm, has entered into a strategic partnership with Sarla Aviation, a frontrunner in electric flying taxi technology.
The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaboratively design and manufacture key components for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The MoU was officially signed by Chocko Valliappa, CEO of Sona SPEED, and Rakesh Gaonkar, Co-founder of Sarla Aviation, during the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 in New Delhi. The event also saw the attendance of Sarla Aviation’s co-founders Adrian Schmidt and Shivam Chauhan, alongside Sona SPEED’s design and development team.
Sona SPEED, recognized for its significant contributions to space missions through its production of motors for ISRO, will now apply its advanced manufacturing capabilities at its state-of-the-art facilities in Karnataka to produce critical components, such as motors and landing gear, for Sarla Aviation’s eVTOL aircraft.
The partnership has garnered significant attention, particularly from Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy, who expressed keen interest in Shunya, India’s first flying taxi prototype, unveiled at the expo.
Rakesh Gaonkar highlighted the natural synergy between the two companies, noting that Sona SPEED’s precision engineering aligns seamlessly with Sarla Aviation’s ambition to revolutionize urban air mobility.
Chocko Valliappa emphasized that while Sona SPEED has long been associated with ISRO’s space missions, this partnership represents a pivotal step in the company’s evolution into aerospace innovation.
This collaboration aims to set new standards for reliability, efficiency, and sustainability in urban air transport, positioning India as a leader in the development of next-generation mobility solutions.
