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India fires missile from drone, Rajnath Singh calls it ‘major boost to defence capabilities’
The missile, built to hit targets in plains and high-altitude areas, was launched from a UAV developed by Indian start-up Newspace Research Technologies.
India on Thursday successfully tested the upgraded version of a precision-guided missile launched from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), marking a key milestone in the country’s push for indigenous defence technologies.
The flight trials of the third-generation Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM-V3) were conducted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the National Open Area Range in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
The missile, designed to engage a wide variety of targets in both plain and high-altitude regions, was fired from a UAV developed by Indian start-up Newspace Research Technologies.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh called the successful launch of the UAV-Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM-V3) a “significant boost to India’s defence capabilities.”
“Congratulations to DRDO and the industry partners, DcPPs, MSMEs and Start-ups for the development and successful trials of the ULPGM-V3 system. This success proves that the Indian industry is now ready to absorb and produce critical Defence Technologies,” defence minister Rajnath Singh wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The system was developed by DRDO in collaboration with several of its labs, including RCI, DRDL, TBRL, HEMRL, ITR and DLRL.
Private sector firms such as Adani Defence and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) participated as development-cum-production partners. Over 30 Indian start-ups and MSMEs also contributed to various components of the missile.
Here are the key highlights of ULPGM-V3:
- Upgraded guidance system: The missile is equipped with a high-definition dual-channel seeker. This allows it to lock onto targets with greater accuracy and perform in both day and night conditions.
- Two-way data link: It supports mid-course corrections through a secure two-way data link. This feature enables operators to update the missile’s target coordinates even after launch.
- Multiple warhead types: The ULPGM-V3 comes with three modular warhead configurations. These include an anti-armour version for penetrating tanks, a penetration-cum-blast warhead for bunkers, and a pre-fragmented warhead for soft targets.
- High-altitude and plain terrain use: Designed to function effectively across a wide range of terrains, the missile can engage targets in both high-altitude zones and flat ground conditions.
