LAT Aerospace, founded by Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal in early 2025, achieved a breakthrough on January 4, 2026, when its fully electric Lat One v0.1 UAV prototype demonstrated ultra-short takeoff and landing (uSTOL) capabilities in a maiden test flight, lifting off in just 40 meters despite crashing shortly after due to anticipated structural defects confirmed by pre-flight simulations. This milestone validates high-lift designs for 60-minute endurance flights on routes like Mumbai-Pune, with Lat One v0.2 already under development for full missions including safe landings and future hybrid-electric manned aircraft. From an Indian strategic perspective, the homegrown innovation bolsters self-reliance in aerospace amid regulatory easing for drones, enabling defense logistics, disaster response in remote areas, and UDAN-enhanced regional connectivity to counter infrastructure gaps and geopolitical vulnerabilities in border regions.