- LAT Aerospace is setting up a propulsion research team in Bengaluru
- The facility will house turbomachinery, combustion labs, and testing infrastructure
- Engineers will lead the initiative with full autonomy and minimal bureaucracy
LAT Aerospace cofounder Deepinder Goyal has invited engineers to join a specialised propulsion research team at the start-up’s Bengaluru facility, where the focus will be on developing gas turbine engines entirely within India.
“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,” Goyal wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
He stated that the new research centre will include turbomachinery, thermal systems, dedicated labs for combustion, and other related materials. The facility will allow engineers to work through hands-on development, testing, and collaboration with suppliers.
“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,” he added.
“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,” he further wrote, while calling out on engineers to apply for the position.
Goyal entered the aviation sector with former Zomato COO Surobhi Das to build low-cost short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft, which will have up to 24 seats. The start-up will focus on regional air connectivity. Goyal has invested $20 million in LAT Aerospace.
STOL aircraft are fixed-wing aircraft capable of operating on runways shorter than those used by conventional airplanes. Currently, Goyal serves as a non-executive co-founder of the company, while Das runs the operations.
LAT Aerospace aims to compete with industry giants like French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR and Canada’s Bombardier, whose jets are used by Indian airlines like IndiGo and SpiceJet for regional flights, the report said.
In March, the start-up was also in discussions with investors for raising $50 million in seed funding.
