News Brief
India Advances High-Altitude Surveillance Capabilities With DRDO’s Maiden Stratospheric Airship Platform Test
Pic Via DRDO
In a big development for India's high-altitude surveillance capability, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Saturday (3 May) successfully carried out the maiden flight trial of a Stratospheric Airship Platform from its trial site in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh.
Developed by DRDO's Agra-based Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), the airship platform reached an altitude of approximately 17 kilometres, carrying an instrumental payload.
The flight lasted around 62 minutes, during which key onboard systems such as envelope pressure control and emergency deflation mechanisms were tested for performance.
Data gathered from onboard sensors during the flight is expected to aid in the development of high-fidelity simulation models for future high-altitude airship missions.
"Data from onboard sensors was received and would be utilised for development of high-quality fidelity simulation models for future high-altitude airship flights. Envelop pressure control and emergency deflation systems were deployed in flight for their performance evaluation. Trial team recovered the system for further investigation. The total duration of the flight was about 62 minutes," DRDO said in a statement.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO for the successful maiden flight-trial of the system.
He stated that this system will uniquely enhance India’s earth observation and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, making the country one of the few countries in the world having such indigenous capabilities.
