Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, May 4: In a significant leap for India’s defence and surveillance technology, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted the maiden flight trial of its indigenously developed Stratospheric Airship. The trial, held on Saturday in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur, saw the airship ascend to an altitude of approximately 17 kilometres, marking a major milestone in India’s pursuit of advanced aerial observation systems.
Developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra, the lighter-than-air platform is poised to dramatically enhance India’s earth observation and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. With this development, India joins a select group of nations possessing indigenous stratospheric airship technology.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), DRDO said:
“DRDO successfully conducts maiden flight trial of Stratospheric Airship with instrumental payload to an altitude of around 17 kms. This lighter than air system will enhance India’s earth observation and Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance capabilities.”
The 62-minute trial involved real-time data collection from onboard sensors, which will now be used to refine simulation models for future high-altitude missions. During the flight, critical systems such as envelope pressure control and emergency deflation mechanisms were deployed and successfully tested. The airship was recovered post-trial for further evaluation, with all components functioning as expected.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO scientists for this landmark achievement, stating that the system would significantly elevate India’s strategic capabilities in surveillance and reconnaissance.
DRDO Chairman and Secretary of Defence R&D, Dr Samir V Kamat, praised the team behind the innovation and called the prototype flight a major step toward the realisation of persistent high-altitude platforms that can remain airborne for extended durations in the stratosphere.