India's DRDO Flight-Tests Indigenous High-Altitude Platform, Holding 20 km Altitude for Over 30 Minutes

Key facts

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested an indigenously developed High-Altitude Platform (HAPS), which reached 21 km above mean sea level and remained at 20 km for more than 30 minutes.
• The platform was developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, and is a lighter-than-air system designed as a long-endurance stratospheric aerial surveillance platform.
• The HAPS carried instrumentation including an inertial measurement unit, GPS receiver, onboard cameras and an altitude-control mechanism, with real-time video and vehicle parameters transmitted to the Ground Control Station throughout the flight.
• The trial was conducted in coordination with the Indian Air Force, the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Airports Authority of India and other civil authorities.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the achievement as an important milestone in India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat drive towards developing a long-endurance stratospheric airship.