Ghatak
A subscale demonstrator of a stealthy flying wing uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) designed by Indian defense researchers has achieved a first flight in a tailless configuration.
The test, announced on Dec. 15 by India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), is a step towards flight trials of a follow-on, full-scale flying wing UAS.
The Ghatak autonomous flying wing technology demonstrator launched a second series of test flights in tailless configuration from a test range in Chitradurga in southern India, the Ministry of Defense (MOD) said in an announcement.
The tailless tests come 18 months after a tailed version of the subscale Ghatak UAS completed the initial series of six tests flights in the summer of 2022.
The prototype is designed with a composite structure that includes embedded fiber sensors that function as a health monitoring system, the MOD said.
The aircraft also landed autonomously without assistance from ground radars or a remote operator, the MOD added. The aircraft fused data from onboard sensors with India’s regional satellite-based augmentation system.
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