BHUBANESWAR: The DRDO successfully flight tested an indigenously developed high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT) Abhyas from a defence facility off Odisha coast on Friday. The unmanned aerial vehicle was flown from the launching complex III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) and met the mission parameters. Once fully developed, the pilotless aircraft will replace target aircraft Lakshya and British drone Banshee.
The trial was conducted by the officials of Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE). The aerial vehicle achieved the user requirement of 5 km flying altitude, 0.5 Mach speed, 30 minute endurance and turn capability. Designed and developed by ADE, a DRDO lab, it can be used as an aerial target for evaluation of various missile systems. The performance of the target aircraft was monitored through telemetry and various tracking sensors including radars and electro-optical tracking systems.
