Zomato CEO’s aviation startup sees prototype crash after first test | VIDEO

The prototype aircraft developed by LAT Aerospace, a new aviation startup backed by Zomato and Eternal CEO Deepinder Goyal, crashed during its first test flight. However, the company said the test was still a success because the aircraft achieved its main technical goal.

The aircraft, called Lat One v0.1, was designed to test ultra-short take-off and landing (uSTOL) technology. This technology allows aircraft to take off and land on very short runways, making it useful for connecting smaller towns and remote regions.

Goyal shared a video of the test on social media platform X and explained that the aircraft managed to take off successfully using uSTOL technology. The crash happened later in the flight, and the team had already expected it based on earlier simulations that showed structural weaknesses in the prototype.

“The plane crashed a bit later, which we knew was going to happen. This was part of our learning process,” Goyal said.

LAT Aerospace was co-founded last year by Goyal and Surobhi Das as a long-term project to improve regional air connectivity in India. The company aims to make air travel more affordable and accessible for people living outside major cities.

In an earlier social media post, Das highlighted that India has more than 450 airstrips, but only around 150 currently handle commercial flights. She pointed out that regional air travel in India remains limited, expensive and largely focused on metro cities.

LAT Aerospace believes that uSTOL aircraft could make it possible to operate flights from smaller airstrips, helping to connect many more towns and regions.

Goyal has reportedly invested $20 million into LAT Aerospace out of the startup’s total funding of about $50 million. The company has already begun hiring aerospace engineers, designers and aviation specialists to speed up the development of its aircraft.

Despite the crash, Goyal said the project is progressing as planned and that the team has learned valuable lessons from the test. “Making a plane take off is only 20% of the challenge. Making it land safely is where the real work lies,” he said.

The company has already started working on Lat One v0.2, the next version of the aircraft, which is expected to complete a full test mission, including a safe landing.

LAT Aerospace says its goal is not short-term success but building a new aviation model that can change how regional air travel works in India.