India's DRDO tests surveillance balloon for HAPS programme

The surveillance balloon being prepared for launch during the recent trial. (DRDO)

India's Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted a flight trial of a surveillance balloon under a programme aimed at developing a long-endurance high-altitude pseudo satellite (HAPS).

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 6 October that the lighter-than-air platform was fitted with an inertial measurement unit, GPS receiver, cameras, an altitude-control mechanism, and other undisclosed systems for the trial.

During the trial, the balloon reached an altitude of 21 km above mean sea level (AMSL) and remained at 20 km AMSL for more than 30 minutes before descending to the ground, the MoD said.

According to the MoD, the balloon transmitted real-time video and other data to a ground-control station throughout the flight, enabling its performance to be analysed.

The balloon has been designed and developed by the DRDO's Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra, northern India. The trial was conducted in partnership with the Indian Air Force (IAF), Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Airports Authority of India (AAI).

The DRDO had not responded to Janes request for more information at the time of publication.

The latest trial follows a previous test conducted in May 2025, which likely involved the same platform.

At the time, the MoD said the balloon carried a payload to an altitude of around 17 km and remained airborne for around 62 minutes. The MoD added that data received from onboard sensors would be used to develop high-fidelity simulation models to support future HAPS flights.

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