ABHYAS drone

Published: 17th May, 2019

Recently, DRDO successfully conducted the flight test of ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from a test range in Odisha.

Context

Recently, DRDO successfully conducted the flight test of ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from a test range in Odisha.

About

The trial was carried out by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Balasore.
It was tracked by various radars and electro-optic systems and proved its performance in fully autonomous waypoint navigation mode.

ABHYAS drone

It is built by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Armed Forces.
Abhyas is an evolution of an older Indian target drone, the Lakshya.
The first experimental launch (without the main engine) of the Abhyas was held at the Chitradurga Aeronautical Test Range in June 2012.
The configuration of ABHYAS is designed on an in-line small gas turbine engine and it uses indigenously developed micro-electromechanical systems-based (MEMS) navigation system.
The performance of the system was as per simulations carried out and it demonstrated the capability of 'Abhyas' to meet the mission requirement for a cost-effective HEAT.
'Abhyas' is designed for autonomous flying with the help of an autopilot.
A Luneburg lens in the nose cone improves the radar cross-section of the target for weapons practice. It also has an acoustic miss distance indicator (AMDI) to indicate the missed distance.

Functions of ABHYAS

Abhyas's radar cross-section (RCS) as well as its visual and infrared signatures can be augmented to simulate a variety of aircraft for air-defense weapon practices.
It can also function as a jammer platform and decoy.
The HEAT system is utilized to do away with the post-launch recovery mode, which is time-consuming and difficult in a scenario as the sea.
The Drone has a weather proof drop and vibration proof and a tactic load-tested dedicated box integrated with it that is used for transportation and storage purpose.
Target missiles and drones serve an important role in the development of a range of interceptors, including surface-to-air systems as well as cruise and ballistic missile defense systems. Abhyas is designed to simulate aircraft for endoatmospheric surface-to-air interception tests as well as air-to-air exercises.

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