With reference to the High-Altitude Platform (HAPS) flight-tested by DRDO, consider the following statements: 1. The ADRDE institution is located in Agra. 2. The platform reached a peak altitude of 30 km during the milestone trial. 3. The HAPS platform was developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE). Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

DRDO flight-tests indigenous HAPS platform reaching 21 km altitude in milestone trial

GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Defence technology· Prelims + Mains· 6 October 2026

HAPS technology for strategic surveillance and telecommunication: a key GS3 Science & Technology and Defense topic.

Why in news

DRDO successfully flight-tested an indigenous High-Altitude Platform (HAPS) reaching 21 km altitude, marking a milestone in India's aerial surveillance and communication capabilities.

Background

The HAPS platform was developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra. During the trial on October 06, 2026, the platform reached a peak altitude of 21 km and maintained a steady altitude of 20 km for over 30 minutes.

Facts for Prelims

BodyADRDE: The Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment is located in Agra.
S&THAPS: High-Altitude Platform (HAPS) is an indigenous platform tested by DRDO.
FactThe platform reached a peak altitude of 21 km during the flight test.
PostRajnith Singh: Served as the Defence Minister during the milestone trial.

Prelims practice question

With reference to the High-Altitude Platform (HAPS) flight-tested by DRDO, consider the following statements:

The ADRDE institution is located in Agra.
The platform reached a peak altitude of 30 km during the milestone trial.
The HAPS platform was developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)3 only
(b)1 and 3 only
(c)2 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3

Show answer

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only — Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is incorrect: The platform reached a peak altitude of 21 km.

For Mains

Q. Discuss how indigenous High-Altitude Platform (HAPS) technology can enhance India's strategic surveillance and telecommunication infrastructure in remote and border regions.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Strategic autonomy: Reducing reliance on foreign platforms for persistent wide-area surveillance
Technological leap: Overcoming atmospheric challenges to maintain stable flight at 20 km altitude
Dual-use potential: Simultaneous application in disaster management and national security communications

Keywords: Strategic Autonomy · Persistent Surveillance · Indigenous Technology · Aerospace Engineering · Defense Modernization

Read the full news →Source: The Hindu ↗Also: GS1 · Places in news / mapping

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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.