‘Lakshya’ flight-tested successfully

India's indigenously developed pilotless target aircraft 'Lakshya' has been successfully flight tested.

India’s indigenously developed pilotless target aircraft ‘Lakshya’ was successfully flight tested from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore on Wednesday.

PTA Lakshya, fitted with a digitally controlled improved engine, was developed by the aeronautics development establishment, Bangalore, to perform discreet aerial reconnaissance of battlefield and target acquisition.

Usually the flight duration of the six-feet-long micro light aircraft is 30-35 minutes and after covering three to four laps in the sky it drops to the ground with the help of a parachute.

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‘Lakshya’ had been tested several times earlier and to further check its engine viability and duration enhancement, Wednesday’s test was undertaken from the launch complex-2 of the ITR, defence sources said adding, “it is a routine trial.”

‘Lakshya’, a sub-sonic, re-usable aerial target system, is remote controlled from the ground and designed to impart training to both air-borne and air defence pilots.

It has already been inducted into Indian Air Force since 2000, the sources said.