India floats stratospheric airship project, invites private players
Being steered by Directorate of Operations (Remote) of the Indian Air Force (IAF), the project will involve government funding for selected partners to develop a prototype airship that would be able to operate at altitudes of over 20 km and carry out optical surveillance, electronic intelligence gathering and long-range communications.
Gov to fund up to 70% of costs for indigenous pseudo satellites for persistent surveillance, intelligence gathering
The Air Ship-based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS) project is being undertaken under Make I procedure of procurement, in which the government can fund up to 70% of the research and development costs.
The project was cleared by the high powered Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in February and is pegged at an overall cost of Rs 15,000, including development costs and procurement of an unspecified number of systems. On a parallel track, the defence ministry has also initiated a plan to develop fixed wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) that can take off from ground and carry out long-range missions.
Sources said several Indian companies involved in the aerospace sector have been approached for the ambitious project and the selection of at least two developmental partners will be undertaken based on technical responses and financial strengths of the responders.
Designed to operate at altitudes of over 20 km, the AS-HAPS will act as a platform operating between high altitude drones (operating at around 12 km) and low earth orbit satellites (500-2,000km). It would also enable transmission of data from ground-based networks to satellites. The systems would be required to operate for months at a stretch, providing persistent intelligence.
The airship will be equipped with a range of sensors to enable long-range surveillance, including radars and optical devices. The government is keen to develop the sensors indigenously as well. It should also be capable of being controlled in flight and steer to areas of interest.
While no private sector company in India has yet demonstrated the technology, the government funding is likely to trigger a keen race to take part in the high-tech developmental project. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has carried out flight trials of the system, launching an airship at an altitude of around 17 km, with an instrumental payload. The test was carried out over Madhya Pradesh in May 2025.
