Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully carried out the maiden flight-trials of its Stratospheric Airship Platform at the Sheopur trial site in Madhya Pradesh, marking a key achievement in India’s defence technology capabilities.
Key Highlights
- Conducted by: DRDO
- Trial location: Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh
- Developed by: Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, Uttar Pradesh
- Altitude achieved: ~17 km (stratospheric level)
- Flight duration: ~62 minutes
- Purpose: Enhancing India’s earth observation and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities
- Significance:
- Positions India among few countries globally with indigenous stratospheric airship capability
- Critical milestone in developing long-endurance, lighter-than-air, high-altitude platforms
About Stratospheric Airship Platform
- A lighter-than-air, high-altitude platform designed to:
- Stay airborne for extended durations
- Operate in the stratosphere (~17 km altitude)
- Carry instrumental payloads for data collection, ISR, and earth observation
- Key systems tested during flight:
- Envelope pressure control system
- Emergency deflation system
- Outcome:
- Onboard sensors successfully transmitted data
- Airship was safely recovered post-trial for further analysis
- Data will help develop high-fidelity simulation models for future missions
About Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE)
- A DRDO lab located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh
- Specializes in:
- Aerial delivery systems
- Parachutes
- Balloon and airship technologies
- Related defence applications
Why It Matters?
- Boosts India’s indigenous high-altitude surveillance capabilities
- Enhances border monitoring, disaster management, and communication relays
- Reduces dependence on expensive satellites or aircraft for certain missions