DRDO Successfully Tests Next-Gen UAV-Launched Precision Guided Missile in Andhra Pradesh

Kurnool: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted flight trials of the third version of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM-V3) at the National Open Area Range (NOAR) in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.

The ULPGM-V3 represents an advanced iteration of the previously developed ULPGM-V2 missile. It boasts a high-definition dual-channel seeker system capable of engaging a wide range of targets with exceptional precision. With day-and-night operational capability and a two-way data link for post-launch target updates, the missile is suitable for deployment in both plain and high-altitude terrains.

Designed with versatility in mind, the ULPGM-V3 features three modular warhead configurations: an Anti-armour warhead designed to neutralize modern armored vehicles equipped with Rolled Homogeneous Armour (RHA) and Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA); a Penetration-cum-Blast warhead ideal for bunker-busting applications; and a Pre-fragmentation warhead offering a high-lethality zone for area targets.

The missile was released from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle developed indigenously by Bengaluru-based start-up Newspace Research Technologies. The test marked a major milestone in India’s efforts to integrate cutting-edge weapons with long-range, high-endurance UAV platforms.

The missile is a collaborative development by several DRDO laboratories including the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Integrated Test Range (ITR), and Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL). The current round of trials was conducted using the anti-armour warhead configuration.

A strong network of industry partners contributed to the missile’s development. Key Development cum Production Partners (DcPPs) included Adani Defence and Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad, along with over 30 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and its industry collaborators for the successful trials, hailing the achievement as a testament to India’s growing ability to design and produce critical defence technologies within the country.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, Dr. Samir V. Kamat, also commended the teams involved and emphasized the strategic importance of such indigenous precision weapon systems, stating that their development is “the need of the hour” to meet evolving battlefield requirements.