NEW DELHI, — India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for a High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) test at the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chitradurga, Karnataka.
The NOTAM is valid from 05:30 IST on October 26, 2026, until 05:30 IST on October 31, 2026, with a vertical limit extending from ground level to 20,000 feet.
The Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) at Challakere, in Chitradurga district, supports testing of unmanned and manned aerial systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles and aerostats.
India Advances Indigenous HAPS Development
HAPS platforms are designed to operate in the stratosphere, typically at altitudes of 18–25 km, supporting intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and communications relay missions.
DRDO’s Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) has been developing a lighter-than-air HAPS platform. During a trial on October 6, 2026, the experimental platform reached 21 km above mean sea level and maintained an altitude of around 20 km for more than 30 minutes before a controlled descent and recovery. Real-time video and flight data were transmitted to a ground control station. The trial involved coordination with the Indian Air Force, CEMILAC, DGCA, the Airports Authority of India and other agencies.
The flight followed an airship trial in May 2025 from Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, where a prototype reached approximately 17 km and remained airborne for around 62 minutes.
Meanwhile, CSIR-NAL has tested subscale fixed-wing, solar-powered HAPS prototypes at Chitradurga, with flights reaching approximately 24,000–25,000 feet. Separate airship-based and fixed-wing HAPS programmes also received Defence Acquisition Council clearances in 2026.
The latest NOTAM indicates continued testing activity at Chitradurga as India advances its indigenous high-altitude platform capabilities. Details of the current test configuration have not been publicly released.
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