Kurnool: India’s Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted flight-trials of the Advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 at the National Open Area Range (NOAR) test range in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, marking a significant enhancement to the country’s defence capabilities as of 1:10 AM IST on Saturday, July 26, 2025. This missile, an upgraded version of the earlier ULPGM-V2 delivered by DRDO, was tested with promising results, showcasing its potential in modern warfare scenarios.
The missile was launched from an indigenously designed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) crafted by Newspace Research Technologies, a Bengaluru-based start-up, highlighting India’s growing self-reliance in defence technology. DRDO is also working to integrate ULPGM weapons with long-range, high-endurance UAVs from other Indian firms.
The project involved Development cum Production Partners (DcPPs) Adani Defence and Bharat Dynamics Limited in Hyderabad, alongside contributions from 30 MSMEs and start-ups, underscoring a broad industry collaboration.
The ULPGM-V3 features a high-definition dual-channel seeker, enabling it to target a diverse range of objectives with precision. It is designed for deployment in both plain and high-altitude terrains, boasting day-and-night operational capability and a two-way data link that allows for post-launch target or aim-point adjustments.
The missile offers three modular warhead options: an Anti-armour warhead to neutralise advanced armoured vehicles equipped with Rolled Homogeneous Armour (RHA) and Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA); a Penetration-cum-Blast warhead suited for Anti-Bunker operations; and a Pre-fragmentation warhead with a high lethality zone, providing versatility across combat situations. The recent trials specifically evaluated the Anti-armour configuration.
This sophisticated missile was collaboratively developed by several DRDO laboratories, including Research Centre Imarat, Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, High-Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Integrated Test Range, and Defence Electronics Research Laboratory.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised DRDO, the industry partners, DcPPs, MSMEs, and start-ups for the successful trials, calling it evidence that India’s industrial base is now equipped to adopt and produce advanced defence technologies. Similarly, Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, commended the teams, DcPPs, and start-ups, emphasising that such a weapon system addresses a critical current need.
– global bihari bureau
