In a bold move that could redefine regional travel in India, Deepinder Goyal, the founder of Zomato, has unveiled the ambitious vision behind his new aviation venture, LAT Aerospace. The startup, co-founded with Surobhi Das in January 2025, aims to tackle the inefficiencies of modern air travel by developing small aircraft that require minimal infrastructure for takeoff and landing.
The "Senseless" Commute and a Radical Solution
During a recent conversation with podcaster Raj Shamani, Goyal articulated the core problem his startup seeks to solve. He described the typical process of traveling to a distant airport, enduring long wait times, and then flying as fundamentally "senseless" for shorter routes. He used the example of a trip from Delhi to Chandigarh, which can take six hours by car. A flight, including the transit to and from the airport and the waiting period, often takes a similar amount of time.
"Firstly, the need to travel 1.5 hours to the airport, then wait for another 1.5 hours to board, and then finally depart for your destination. This is senseless," Goyal stated in the interview, a clip of which was shared on platform X on Monday, 6 January 2026.
LAT Aerospace's proposed solution is nothing short of revolutionary for the aviation industry. The company is developing a new generation of Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft designed to operate from compact air-stops rather than massive international airports. The goal is to create aircraft that can take off and land within a distance of just 20 to 50 metres.
How LAT Aerospace Plans to Transform Connectivity
The vision is to create a network of small airstrips located within cities, drastically reducing the time spent on the ground before and after a flight. Imagine a six-to-eight seater aircraft taking off from a short strip near your home or office and landing close to your final destination in another city.
"Why can't I have a small airport right next to me?" Goyal questioned. His idea is to move away from rigid airport-to-airport connectivity and enable point-to-point travel within urban and regional landscapes.
Beyond convenience, Goyal highlighted a significant socioeconomic impact. By enabling easy air connectivity to remote and smaller towns, this technology could help distribute economic growth and wealth more evenly across the country, alleviating pressure on overpopulated metropolitan hubs. "If we can make this happen, then India will be a beautiful place to live in," he expressed optimistically.
The Technology and Roadmap Behind the Vision
According to its official website, LAT Aerospace is not just reimagining infrastructure but also pioneering sustainable propulsion. The company's aircraft will be powered by a hybrid system combining electric motors, a battery, and a turbogenerator. This focus on energy efficiency is expected to result in lower fuel burn and fewer emissions, making it an environmentally conscious alternative for regional travel.
The startup is already moving from concept to reality. The first demonstrator aircraft are currently under development and undergoing flight testing. The next phases involve scaling the technology, forging industrial partnerships, and moving towards production to bring the first generation of LAT aircraft into active service.
Goyal acknowledges the enormity of the challenge, referring to it as the company's "moonshot." However, he is confident in the team's ability to persevere. "We have the patience, we have the capital, and the ability to attract talent to work on the problem for long enough," he asserted, signaling a long-term commitment to transforming how India travels.
