UPSC Articles
Successful flight-tests of Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target conducted
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Defence
In news
- Recently, successful flight-tests of the indigenously-designed Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) in Balasore (Odisha) were conducted.
- Conducted by: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
- Designed and developed by: Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO
Key takeaways
- Two demonstrator vehicles of Abhyas cleared all the evaluation parameters like 5 km flying altitude, vehicle speed of 0.5 mach (half the speed of sound), endurance of 30 minutes etc.
Important value additions
Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT)
- It is a drone (UAV) that will be used as a target for various missile systems.
- It is powered by a small gas turbine engine.
- Navigation by: Micro-electromechanical (MEMS) systems based Inertial Navigation System (INS).
- It is lightweight and reliable, consumes less power and is cost-effective.
- It is programmed for fully autonomous flight.
Do you know?
- MEMS is a process technology used to create tiny integrated devices or systems that combine mechanical and electrical components.
