Why is it in the News?

Recently Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out a flight trial of the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, an indigenous high-speed flying-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from the Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga in Karnataka.

About the Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator:

• The Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator is a domestically developed high-speed flying-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) crafted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)’s Aeronautical Development Establishment.
• Its inaugural flight took place in July 2022, marking significant progress in the development of robust aerodynamic and control systems, real-time integration, hardware-in-loop simulation, and an advanced Ground Control Station.
• The project team successfully optimized avionic systems, integration processes, and flight operations, culminating in the seventh and final flight in the ultimate configuration.
• Constructed with a complex arrowhead wing platform, the UAV prototype utilizes a lightweight carbon prepreg composite material developed indigenously.
• A noteworthy feature is the autonomous landing capability, eliminating the need for ground radars, infrastructure, or a pilot.
  • This unique capability demonstration allows take-off and landing from any runway with surveyed coordinates.
• This technology demonstrator has been developed for India's secretive stealth combat drone called Ghatak.
  • The successful flight in a tailless configuration has propelled India into the prestigious group of nations that have perfected the controls for the Flying wing configuration

Indian Joins Elite Club:

• With this flight in the tailless configuration, India has joined the elite club of countries to have mastered the controls for the flying wing technology.
• These flight tests led to achievements in the development of robust aerodynamic and control systems; integrated real-time and hardware-in-loop simulation, and a state-of-the-art Ground Control Station, informed the DRDO.

Aatmanirbharta

• The DRDO team had optimised the avionic systems, integration and flight operations towards the successful seventh flight in the final configuration.
  • The aircraft prototype, with a complex arrowhead wing platform, is designed and manufactured with lightweight carbon prepreg composite material developed indigenously.
• Also, the composite structure, impregnated with fibre interrogators for health monitoring, is a showcase of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in aerospace technology.