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In a significant move that blends civil aviation ambition with defense innovation, Deepinder Goyal’s aviation venture, LAT Aerospacehas acquired Gurugram-based defense robotics startup Sharang Shakti.

The deal signals a strategic pivot — one that positions LAT Aerospace not just as a regional aircraft developer, but as a long-term builder of indigenous autonomy and defense-grade technologies.

Credits: NewsBytes

A Strategic Integration: Defense Meets Civil Aviation

While civil aviation and defense are traditionally viewed as distinct industries, Goyal believes they operate on a shared technological backbone.

• Autonomy.
• Perception systems.
• Sensing.
• Navigation.
• Guidance and control systems.

These core technologies power both advanced defense platforms and next-generation civil aircraft.

By integrating Sharang Shakti into LAT Aerospace, Goyal said the company is now building these capabilities “from first principles”aiming to deploy them across both defense and civil programs over time.

This isn’t just an acquisition. It’s a structural shift in vision.

First Step Toward Indigenous Defense Capabilities

According to Goyal, this acquisition marks LAT Aerospace’s first formal step toward building indigenous defense capabilities as part of its long-term mission.

India’s push for self-reliance in defense manufacturing has gained momentum in recent years. With drone warfare, airspace monitoring, and autonomous systems becoming critical components of modern security frameworks, the demand for locally developed solutions is accelerating.

By bringing Sharang Shakti in-house, LAT Aerospace gains:

• Proprietary counter-drone technology

• Airspace surveillance systems

• Autonomous aerial interception capabilities

• Real-time AI-driven threat detection

This strengthens LAT’s technology stack well beyond aviation — into the broader domain of autonomous systems engineering.

Inside Sharang Shakti: Counter-Drone Specialists

Founded in 2023 by Karan Goyal, Chirag Singla, Jitendra Singh, Gaurav Kumar and Rishabh ChoudharySharang Shakti specializes in airspace surveillance and airborne threat mitigation.

The startup has been building integrated counter-drone systems that combine:

Its flagship products include:

A hard-kill aerial interceptor designed for counter-drone operations.

A short-range airborne threat detection system focused on rapid airspace monitoring.

These technologies are increasingly critical as drone incursions and autonomous aerial threats become more common globally.

With this acquisition, Sharang Shakti’s defense-grade systems could also feed into LAT’s civil aviation platforms — particularly in navigation safety, obstacle detection, and autonomous landing systems.

LAT Aerospace’s Aviation Ambition

LAT Aerospace is currently developing a hybrid-electric short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft designed for regional operations.

The company previously demonstrated ultra-short take-off capability during its Lat One v0.1 test flight — a milestone that showcased its engineering ambition. However, that prototype later crashed due to known structural defects identified through simulations.

Rather than slowing down, LAT Aerospace appears to be doubling down.

The company is now working on the next iteration of its aircraft, integrating deeper technology layers across sensing, autonomy, and control systems — precisely the capabilities Sharang Shakti specializes in.

A Bigger Vision: Beyond Regional Connectivity

Initially positioned as a regional air connectivity play, LAT Aerospace now appears to be evolving into something much larger — a vertically integrated autonomy and aerospace technology company.

The acquisition indicates three broader ambitions:

1. Building India-native aerospace IP

2. Creating cross-sector autonomy platforms

3. Reducing dependence on imported defense technologies

If successfully executed, this strategy could allow LAT to operate across:

The convergence of civil aviation and defense technologies is not new globally — but it remains underdeveloped in India. LAT Aerospace seems intent on filling that gap.

Credits: Fortune India

The Road Ahead

The challenge now lies in execution.

Integrating a defense robotics startup into an aviation venture demands not just capital, but alignment in engineering roadmaps, regulatory pathways, and product-market strategies.

However, if LAT Aerospace can successfully merge Sharang Shakti’s counter-drone and surveillance capabilities with its hybrid-electric aircraft program, it could create a uniquely Indian aerospace stack — built in India, for India, and potentially for global markets.

For Deepinder Goyal, this marks more than diversification.

It is a calculated leap — from food delivery tech to aerospace autonomy — with indigenous defense capability at its core.