DRDO successfully flight- tested the country's first pilotless fighter aircraft
The maiden flight of the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator was successfully conducted by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) on 01 July, 2022 from the
Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga (Karnataka). Operating in a fully autonomous mode, the aircraft demonstrated an ideal flight performance including take-off, way point navigation and a smooth touchdown.
The flight is a major achievement in proving the technologies critical towards the development of future unmanned aircraft and also a significant step towards self- reliance in strategic defense technologies. This unmanned aircraft has been designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru, a premier research laboratory of DRDO.
It is powered by a small turbofan engine. The airframe, undercarriage and the entire flight control and avionics systems used for the aircraft are indigenously developed.