Deepinder Goyal's LAT Aerospace prototype crashes after test flight, Zomato founder says ‘we knew this was going to happen’

Eternal CEO Deepinder Goyal recently shared an update on the prototype aircraft developed by LAT Aerospace – aviation startup backed by him. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Goyal shared a video demonstrating the ultra-short take-off (uSTOL) capabilities with its Lat One v0.1 prototype. While the test flight crashed a bit later due to structural defects, Goyal called the feat as a milestone. “uSTOL achieved. Achievement unlocked. The plane crashed a bit later, which we knew was going to happen, and our simulations had already suggested so, due to structural defects. However, the main objective of the test flight was to test uSTOL, which was successfully demonstrated,” Zomato founder wrote in the post. For those unaware, LAT Aerospace is an aviation startup backed by Zomato’s Deepinder Goyal. The startup aims to transform regional air travel into a faster and more affordable alternative. In a post last year, Goyal clarified that LAT Aerospace is not part of Eternal – parent company of Zomato. Video of Lat One v0.1 test flight.uSTOL achieved. Achievement unlocked The plane crashed a bit later, which we knew was going to happen, and our simulations had already suggested so, due to structural defects. However, the main objective of the test flight was to test uSTOL, which was successfully demonstrated. 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. Overall, we learnt so much from this entire experience. We will come out better and stronger from this.In July last year, Goyal issued an open call to engineers across the country to join his startup. He then said that ‘we’re giving engineers the freedom to think, build, break, and repeat’, predicting multiple crashes before a ‘full engine stack’ is ‘built locally’.India has tried building gas turbine engines before. And we’ve come close.At LAT, we want to get past the finish line. So we’re putting together a propulsion research team in Bangalore, focused solely on building gas turbine engines from scratch. Lightweight. Efficient. Flight-ready. Made in India.What’s different this time?We’re giving engineers the freedom to think, build, break, and repeat. Our dedicated research centre — with labs for combustion, turbomachinery, thermal systems, and materials, will give engineers the space and freedom to iterate fast, and get to real outcomes at a speed which is unprecedented in the industry.Also, this team will be led by engineers. No waiting around for approvals from "business" people. No chasing slides or meetings. Just hands-on problem solving, running bench tests, working with suppliers, building hardware from scratch — and pushing the limits of design and physics every day.It won’t be easy. But if it works, it changes everything. A full engine stack, built locally. Powering STOL aircraft. UAVs. Remote connectivity. Self-reliance.If you’ve ever built turbines, rotors, control systems — or anything close — and want to be part of something that could one day, rewrite history, write to us at engines@lat.com