DRDO's Successful Flight Trial Of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator For India's Stealth Combat Drone Ghatak

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has effectively showcased the flight trial of the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, a domestically produced high-speed flying wing UAV at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chitradurga, Karnataka.

This technology demonstrator has been developed for India's secretive stealth combat drone called Ghatak. The successful flight in a tailless configuration has propelled India into the prestigious group of nations that have perfected the controls for the Flying wing configuration, ANI reported.

The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was engineered and brought to life by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) under the DRDO. Its inaugural flight was successfully conducted in July 2022, and since then, it has undergone six flight trials in diverse developmental configurations, utilising two prototypes produced in-house.

The prototype aircraft, featuring an intricate arrowhead wing design, is constructed using lightweight carbon prepreg composite material that was developed domestically.

The composite structure is further enhanced with fibre interrogators for health monitoring, exemplifying self-reliance in Aerospace technology. An exceptional demonstration of its capabilities is its ability to autonomously land without the need for ground radars, infrastructure, or a pilot.

This high-speed UAV can take off and land from any runway with surveyed coordinates, thanks to the fusion of onboard sensor data with indigenous satellite-based augmentation via GAGAN receivers, which enhances the accuracy and integrity of GPS navigation.