DRDO Successfully Conducts Flight-Test Of High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target ‘Abhyas’ Off Odisha Coast

New Delhi: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)  on Thursday successfully conducted the flight-test of High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) ‘Abhyas’ from Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur off Odisha coast.

During the flight trial of the indigenously developed Abhyas, high subsonic speed trajectory at a very low altitude with high endurance was demonstrated. Two boosters provided initial acceleration during launch and a small turbo jet engine is used to sustain high subsonic speed with long endurance.

The data link designed by Bengaluru-based industry partner was successfully flown and tested during the flight. The performance of the system during the entire flight duration was confirmed from the data captured by various range instruments, according to a Ministry of Defence release.

Bengaluru-based DRDO laboratory Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) along with other DRDO laboratories has developed the unmanned aerial target system to meet the requirement of aerial targets of Indian Armed Forces.

The aircraft is controlled from a ground based controller and an indigenously developed MEMS based Inertial Navigation System along with the Flight Control Computer which helps it to follow the pre-designated path in a fully autonomous mode.

In his message, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the successful test is a testimony of synergy between scientists and industry.