India successfully tests Abhyas, a high-speed expendable aerial target

Abhyas, a High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was successfully flight-tested off the coast of Odisha on Wednesday from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.

Abhyas is designed & developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The target aircraft was operated from a ground-based controller along a predetermined low-altitude flight route, and ITR deployed a number of tracking sensors, including radar and electro-optical targeting systems, to keep track of it, the Centre said in a press release.


The air vehicle was launched using twin under-slung boosters which provide the initial acceleration to the vehicle. It is powered by a small gas turbine engine to sustain a long endurance flight at high subsonic speed.

The aircraft's performance at low altitude, including sustained level and high manoeuvrability, was demonstrated during the test flight.

Furthermore, this target aircraft which is set up for fully autonomous flight is outfitted with an indigenous radio altimeter for very low altitude flight, a Micro-Electromechanical Systems-based inertial navigation system for navigation, a flight control computer for guidance and control, and a data link for secure communication with the ground control station.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and the armed forces for the successful flight trial of ABHYAS, and said that the development of this system will meet the requirements of aerial targets.

DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy lauded the efforts of the teams associated with the design, development and testing of the system.