– HAPS Reaches 21 km Altitude and Remains Airborne for More Than 30 Minutes

New Delhi,06 October (HS): India has achieved a significant breakthrough in developing a system capable of monitoring the ground from an altitude of 20–25 km. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted a trial of the indigenous High-Altitude Platform System (HAPS). The HAPS reached an altitude of 21 km from the medium level and remained airborne for more than 30 minutes. It was subsequently commanded to descend and return to the ground. After the system was successfully recovered, its flight-performance data was analysed.

According to the DRDO, real-time video data from the airborne platform, along with all other parameters, were received at the ground control station throughout the flight, enabling assessment of the prescribed flight performance. The system incorporated several instrumentation and control electronic packages, including an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, onboard cameras and an altitude-control mechanism, besides several other subsystems. The trial was conducted in coordination with several agencies, including the Indian Air Force, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other civil authorities.

A high-altitude platform is a lighter-than-air, long-endurance stratospheric aerial surveillance platform. It is being designed and developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra. It is a solar-powered unmanned aircraft or airship that operates in the stratosphere at an altitude of approximately 17 to 25 km above the Earth's surface. It is also known as a High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS). The system serves as an important link between conventional satellites and low-altitude drones. It operates well above conventional air traffic and weather activity. One of its key advantages is its ability to remain deployed over the same area for extended periods.

According to the DRDO, such systems are solar-powered and can potentially remain airborne continuously for weeks, months or even years without landing. Compared with conventional satellites launched into space, they are considerably less expensive to manufacture and deploy. They can provide high-speed internet and telecommunications services directly to mobile devices on the ground. They can also be used for round-the-clock real-time surveillance along borders, intelligence gathering and monitoring the activities of an adversary. Other key applications include expanding broadband and mobile connectivity in remote and rural areas, temporarily restoring communication networks during natural disasters, weather forecasting, agricultural observation and supporting maritime surveillance.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by the Defence Minister, approved the project in February this year. Once developed, these airships are expected to be capable of remaining deployed over border areas continuously, day and night, to monitor activities in the vicinity. They could also be deployed over or around sensitive areas whenever required. The platforms are expected to be equipped with advanced electronic intelligence systems, high-resolution daylight cameras, night-vision systems and thermal imaging capabilities. These systems would enable monitoring of activities deep inside adversary territory.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, the Armed Forces, public sector undertakings and industry for the successful flight trial of the High-Altitude Platform. He said the successful trial marks an important milestone in India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat journey towards realising a long-endurance stratospheric airship. Defence Secretary and DRDO Chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh also congratulated the teams associated with the flight trial of the high-altitude airship platform.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar