Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) is the first of its kind range that has been set up by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), one of the premier laboratories of the DRDO.
ADE works on a range of UAVs (unmanned air vehicles). The facility will be an integrated test centre for a cluster of DRDO’s aeronautical laboratories.
The following labs will make use of the testing facility: the Centre for Air Borne Systems, the Gas Turbine Research Establishment, the Defence Avionics Research Establishment, the Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification, all of which are based in Bengaluru, and finally the Aerial Delivery Research & Development Establishment, which is based in Agra.
The facility is meant to conduct flight-tests of indigenous unmanned and manned aircrafts such as naval and trainer versions of the Light Combat Aircraft, the unmanned air vehicles- Rustom-I and Rustom-II (Tapas); the Airborne Early Warning & Control Systems (AEW&C), Air-to-Ground weapons, parachutes and aerostats, etc.
Karnataka, especially Bengaluru, and its tech ecosystem not only leads India, but is a leader on the global horizon.
Technology companies and their facilities located in Bengaluru are helping us create new facilities in other places in the country.
DRDO indicated the ATR, sprawling 4,090 acres, was built at a cost of INR 290 crore.
The ATR campus has 31 buildings and a 2.2km runway that can be expanded to 3km to help larger aircraft land and take off.
It has two hangers to house UAVs, radar centre, fibre-optic network, and a separate residential complex on 200 acres.
