Challenging the way people think about flying, a well-known entrepreneur has outlined a bold idea aimed at reshaping urban and regional mobility.
Deepinder Goyal, founder of Eternal-owned Zomato, recently spoke about the thinking behind his aviation startup LAT Aerospace during an interaction with podcaster and YouTuber Raj Shamani. In a video clip shared on X on January 6, 2026, Goyal described the concept as a “radical” attempt to eliminate the need for elaborate airport infrastructure.
Goyal explained that LAT Aerospace is working on small aircraft infrastructure that could allow planes to take off and land within cities, without relying on large airports. “Takeoff and landing within, let’s say 20 metres, which will in turn eliminate the need for the elaborate airport infrastructure. This has never been done in this world. This is radical in terms of aviation,” he said.
He also questioned the efficiency of current air travel. “Let’s say you are travelling to Chandigarh. You take a flight, and it takes six hours to go there (including transit); if you take a car, it’s six hours to go there. 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 added.
According to him, LAT Aerospace aims to solve this problem by enabling smaller, local airstrips. “Why can’t I have a small airport right next to me? Where there is a six-to-eight seater small aircraft, taking off from a small airstrip of 20-50 metres and directly landing at the area where I want to go, rather than an airport-to-airport connectivity,” he said.
Goyal also highlighted the broader impact of such a system, saying it could help distribute economic activity and wealth to remote regions as cities continue to grow. “If we can make this happen, then India will be a beautiful place to live in. One should try working things out. If we don’t try this, then who else will? This is our moonshot; we have the patience, we have the capital, and the ability to attract talent to work on the problem for long enough,” he said.
LAT Aerospace was founded in January 2025 by Deepinder Goyal and Surobhi Das. According to its official website, the company is developing a new generation of Short Take-Off and Landing aircraft designed to operate from compact air-stops instead of conventional airports. The aircraft are planned to use electric motors, batteries, and a turbogenerator to improve energy efficiency. “The result: lower fuel burn, fewer emissions, and reliable regional performance,” the company stated. The first demonstrator aircraft are already under development, with flight testing underway.
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