Tata Advanced Systems unveils advanced loitering suicide drone with 250 km range suitable for LAC

A new long-range, autonomous suicide drone that is capable of operations from high altitude areas and forward landing grounds has been unveiled by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), with company executives saying that the entire system has been developed indigenously and will be on offer to the armed forces.

Named the Advanced Loitering System (ALS), the drone has a range of over 250 km and is designed to take off from advanced landing grounds that are located at altitudes of above 10,000 feet. Several such advanced landing grounds dot the border with China, particularly on the Ladakh border.

The extended distance precision attack loitering system conducts targeting through visual means and can operate in all weather conditions. In particular, the system has been designed to operate in environments where Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are not available or have been jammed.


The stand-off weapon can carry anti-tank warheads and other munitions, based on the requirements of the user. It can take off from a short runway and is based on a design that has already been delivered to the armed forces - the ALS 50 which has a range of around 50 km.

Unlike the shorter-range system that is battery operated, the new weapon is powered by an internal combustion system that gives it much longer range as well as a higher payload capacity. "It is a completely Indian design that includes all avionics, guidance and the ground control system. It is a globally competitive system," a company executive said.

The company in May 2023 delivered the ALS 50 suicide drone to the air force. This system is capable of vertical take-off and landing and has been successfully tested in high-altitude areas of Ladakh and in hot conditions in Rajasthan.