India’s ‘Rudrastra’ UAV Clears Key Army Trials At Pokharan With Precision Warhead, 170 Km Range, 1.5-Hour Endurance

Nagpur-based Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL) has successfully completed a crucial trial of its hybrid Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) UAV, Rudrastra, at the Pokharan Firing Range on Wednesday (11 June), News 18 reported.

The test was conducted under stringent performance parameters set by the Indian Army, including precision strike capability, VTOL functionality, endurance, and mission flexibility.

During the trial, Rudrastra covered a mission radius of over 50 km while maintaining a stable real-time video feed.

It successfully returned to its launch point, demonstrating high reliability.

The UAV recorded a total range exceeding 170 km, including loitering time over the target area.

It achieved an estimated endurance of 1.5 hours. The performance met key operational requirements for battlefield deployment.

A major highlight of the trial was the deployment of a precision-guided anti-personnel warhead.

Dropped from medium altitude, the warhead achieved a low-height airburst, delivering a lethal area effect and meeting critical tactical effectiveness benchmarks set by the Indian Army.

This comes nearly a month after SDAL tested Bhargavastra, a low-cost counter-drone system designed to neutralise drone swarms using micro-rockets.

Trials were conducted at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur on 13 and 14 May, under the supervision of senior Army Air Defence officials.

Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries India Limited, is a major player in India's defense sector, specialising in explosives, munitions, and UAVs.

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