India’s DRDO flies indigenous high-altitude platform to 21 km, holds for 30 minutes

The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment in Agra carried out a flight test of an indigenously developed High-Altitude Platform Station. The unmanned stratospheric vehicle ascended to 21 km above mean sea level and then maintained an altitude of 20 km for more than 30 minutes, transmitting real-time video, GPS data and sensor readings to a ground control station.

Equipped with an inertial measurement unit, GPS receiver, onboard cameras and an altitude-control system, the platform demonstrated the intended performance. The test was coordinated with the Indian Air Force, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification, Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India, and concluded with a successful recovery. Defence minister Rajnath Singh and DRDO chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh praised the achievement as a milestone in India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat push for long-endurance stratospheric airships.