News Brief
Long-Endurance Drones In Making: NewSpace's Solar-Powered High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite Flies Over 21 Hours
Nishtha Anushree
Dec 24, 2023, 11:51 AM | Updated 11:51 AM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
NewSpace Research and Technologies Pvt Ltd (NRT), a company based in Bengaluru, revealed on Saturday (23 December) that its solar-powered High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS), a long-endurance drone, successfully completed its first flight which lasted more than 21 hours. This significant advancement supports India's objective to possess its own long-endurance drones that can operate in the stratosphere.
The Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative of the Defence Ministry is leading the project. As part of this, NRT has entered into an agreement for an initial proof-of-concept demonstrator, aiming for a solar-powered flight that lasts more than 48 hours.
The startup's CEO and ex-Air Force pilot, Sameer Joshi, revealed on X, that the company's prototype successfully completed its flight in a trial conducted on the Winter Solstice, 22 December.
The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), which is powered by solar energy, faces its greatest endurance challenge on the Winter Solstice, the year's shortest day. Its subsequent flight is scheduled for 21 June, also known as the Summer Solstice, when the Sun will shine at its peak brightness.
The Indian Air Force has incorporated HAPS into a 'Make I project' by the Government of India, which is valued at Rs 1,000 crore. This indicates that the government will provide 70 percent of the project's funding.
Defence sources, expressing their enthusiasm to ThePrint about the NRT achievement, described it as the future of air warfare. They explained that the flight encompassed both daytime and nighttime flying, with the UAV harnessing solar energy for daytime travel and relying on its solar-charged battery for nocturnal flight.
While they declined to disclose the specific altitude at which the UAV operated, they revealed plans to eventually have it fly in the stratosphere, approximately 65,000 feet above regular air traffic.
To give you an idea, most commercial planes usually cruise at altitudes ranging from 31,000 to 38,000 feet, which is approximately 5.9 to 7.2 miles high.
Given that the HAPS is solar-powered, it has the capability to remain airborne for several months.
The HAPS UAV represents a fresh category of solar-powered platforms that are being developed globally to carry out continuous surveillance, communications, and specific scientific missions.
The project has secured the support of both the IAF and the Navy, who are interested in procuring this capability not only for immediate needs but also for future requirements.
The National Aerospace Laboratories in India, which operates under the government's Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, is also engaged in a similar project. However, the specifics of its progress remain undisclosed.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Nishtha Anushree is Senior Sub-editor at Swarajya. She tweets at @nishthaanushree.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.