India's surveillance capabilities set for a major upgrade as DRDO tests high-altitude spy airship

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the first flight trials of a stratospheric airship platform from Sheopur Trial site in Madhya Pradesh recently.

The airship, developed by Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment, Agra, was launched with an instrumental payload to an altitude of around 17 kms. This high-altitude, lighter-than-air unmanned system engineered to operate within the stratosphere, is designed to carry various payloads such as imaging sensors, radar systems, or telecommunications equipment surveillance, earth observation, and communications applications.

Data from onboard sensors was received and will be utilised for the development of high-quality fidelity simulation models for future high-altitude airship flights, the defence ministry said in a release.

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“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.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO for the successful maiden flight trial of the system and said the system will enhance India’s earth observation and Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance capabilities, making the country one of the few countries in the world having such indigenous capabilities.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Samir V. Kamat said the prototype flight is a milestone towards realisation of lighter-than-air high-altitude platform systems that can remain airborne for very long endurance at stratospheric heights.

Defence