Abhyas (High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target, HEAT) is a low-cost, jet-powered target drone developed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), based on the earlier Lakshya PTA design, intended to simulate hostile aircraft and missile threats for training and weapon-system evaluation without the cost or recovery overhead of a reusable platform.[1]
Abhyas has a length of 2.3 m and weighs approximately 75 kg, powered by a compact 19 kg gas-turbine engine producing around 25 kgf of thrust. This gives it a maximum speed of roughly Mach 0.5, sustained flight endurance of 30–45 minutes, and a maximum ferry range of up to 500 km (with mission engagement ranges commonly cited around 400 km). It is launched from a mobile launcher using two 68 mm booster rockets manufactured at Indian ordnance factories.[1]
Unlike the recoverable, reusable Lakshya PTA, Abhyas is designed to be expendable — it is not fitted with a recovery system and is intended to be used up (or shot down) as a realistic, low-cost target for validating surface-to-air missile systems, air-to-air missiles, and anti-aircraft gun systems, giving the Indian armed forces an affordable way to conduct high-volume, high-fidelity live-fire testing and training.[2]
| Type | Expendable high-speed aerial target drone |
| Developer | Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), DRDO |
| Length / Weight | 2.3 m / ~75 kg |
| Engine | 19 kg gas-turbine, ~25 kgf thrust |
| Max speed | ~Mach 0.5 |
| Endurance | 30–45 minutes |
| Range | Up to ~500 km (ferry) |
| Launch | Mobile launcher, two 68 mm booster rockets |
| Recovery | None — fully expendable |
| Role | Realistic target for SAM/AAM/anti-aircraft gun testing and training |