Deepinder Goyal-backed aircraft proves ultra-short takeoff, then crashes
What's the story
Deepinder Goyal, the CEO of Eternal, has achieved a key milestone with his aviation start-up LAT Aerospace. The company recently showcased its ultra-short take-off and landing (uSTOL) capabilities using the Lat One v0.1 prototype. A video of this historic flight was shared by Goyal on LinkedIn. However, it's worth noting that the test aircraft did crash due to known structural issues after the flight demonstration.
Development journey
Goyal emphasizes learning from the experience
Despite the crash, Goyal sees this flight as a key milestone in an iterative development process. He said, "We are already building Lat One v0.2, which should hopefully complete a mission. Making a plane take off is only 20% of the problem. Making it land safely is where the work lies." He added that they learned a lot from this entire experience and will emerge stronger from it.
Upcoming projects
LAT Aerospace's electric UAV and future plans
On November 13, Goyal announced that LAT's electric unmanned aerial vehicle was almost ready for a test flight. The aircraft is expected to have a 60-minute range and could potentially connect Mumbai and Pune. Surobhi Das, former COO of Zomato who left the company in November 2023, co-founded LAT Aerospace with Goyal in early 2025.
Company goals
Goyal's investment and LAT Aerospace's vision
Goyal has invested $20 million in LAT Aerospace, a start-up that aims to build eight-seater, low-cost short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft. The company's main focus is on regional connectivity. The successful demonstration of uSTOL capabilities with the Lat One v0.1 prototype marks a major step toward achieving this vision.