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Sona SPEED partners Sarla Aviation to design-make critical components for eVTOL air taxi

by TRANS WORLD FEATURES | @twfindia 20 Jan 2025, 03:49 pm

Sona SPEED, the precision manufacturing firm, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sarla Aviation, a leading innovator in electric flying taxis to design and manufacture critical components for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Sona SPEED motors have been a part of several space missions of ISRO.

The MoU was signed by Chocko Valliappa, CEO of Sona SPEED and Rakesh Gaonkar, Co-founder of Sarla Aviation amidst applause from Sarla’s co-founders Adrian Schmidt and Shivam Chauhan, and the Sona SPEED design and development team.

The agreement positions Sona SPEED as a key partner in revolutionising urban air mobility in India.

India’s first flying taxi prototype, Shunya, unveiled at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 in Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, served as the perfect backdrop for the signing ceremony.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy who visited the Sarla Aviation booth, showed keen interest in the Flying Taxi prototype, considered a historic step toward sustainable and futuristic mobility in India.

Under the MoU, Sona SPEED will utilise its state-of-the-art facilities in Karnataka to design and manufacture critical components, like the motors and landing gear among others for Sarla Aviation’s eVTOL aircraft.

Rakesh Gaonkar, CEO of Sarla Aviation, said, "Sona SPEED’s expertise in precision engineering perfectly complements our vision for electric flying taxis. This collaboration reinforces our mission to redefine urban mobility with cutting-edge eVTOL technology."

Chocko Valliappa, CEO of Sona SPEED, added, "While Sona SPEED motors have been a part of several space missions of ISRO for over a decade this partnership is a significant step in Sona SPEED’s evolution as a hub for aerospace innovation. Together, we aim to shape a cleaner, faster, and more efficient future for urban transportation."

With Sarla Aviation’s air mobility expertise and Sona SPEED’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, the partnership is set to establish new standards in reliability, efficiency, and sustainability for urban air transport.

The development highlights India’s growing aspiration in sustainable urban air mobility and underscores the importance of synergies in driving innovation.