Abhyas Target Drone

Abhyas Target Drone

Type: Surveillance UAV

Domain: air

Country of Origin: India

Manufacturer: DRDO (Defence Research & Development Organisation)

Overview

High-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT) designed to simulate enemy aircraft and cruise missiles for testing and training of Indian air defence systems. The Abhyas features a gas turbine engine providing speeds up to Mach 0.9, low radar cross-section through composite construction and shaping, autonomous flight control with pre-programmed flight paths, endurance of 60 minutes, and a parachute recovery system for reuse (though designed as an expendable target). The system can fly at extremely low altitudes (sea-skimming) or high-altitude profiles to simulate various threat profiles including low-flying cruise missiles, fighter aircraft, and precision-guided munitions. Operational range of 100+ km under ground control station command. Abhyas is critical for validating the performance of Indian air defence systems including Akash, QRSAM, and naval point-defence systems in realistic operational conditions. The platform has been used extensively for testing Indian Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) and provides a cost-effective alternative to expensive piloted target aircraft.

Technical Specifications

roleHigh-speed expendable aerial target / combat decoy
speed~0.5 Mach
guidanceAutonomous flight with pre-programmed waypoints
endurance~30 minutes
propulsionTurbojet engine
manufacturerDRDO, India

Operators

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