Article Posted on : - Jan 27, 2012

An official file photo of Lakshya PTA in flight.

BALASORE, ODISHA (PTI): India's advanced version of pilotless target aircraft (PTA), Lakshya-II, has been successfully flight tested at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Odisha, demonstrating its 'ultimate' capability.

The 10th flight demonstration was held on Wednesday at the ITR, about 15 km from here.

"The entire flight was pre-programmed and was totally successful," the Defence Ministry said Thursday.

Lakshya-II flew at sea skimming height of about 15 meters.

"In a flight lasting over 30 minutes, it was made to dive down from an altitude of around 800 meters to just 12 meter and maintained required altitude for the specified time before demonstrating auto climb-out," sources said here.

The pilotless aircraft demonstrated various technologies and sub-systems including software correction to auto rudder scheme done to prevent loss of mission, engaging and flying in way point navigation mode while carrying tow targets.

During the flight, one of the tow targets was released and the other was deployed while way point navigation was on.

Lakshya-II has been designed and developed by Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a premier DRDO lab specialising in UAVs and flight control systems, the sources said.