DRDO Completes ULPGM-V3 Development Trials, Advancing India’s Precision-Guided Munitions Capabilities

India’s defence industry is advancing its indigenous precision-strike capabilities as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) completes the final development trials of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3. The milestone highlights India’s progress in developing advanced weapons for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), strengthening domestic defence manufacturing, and expanding capabilities for engaging ground-based and airborne targets.

Announced by the Ministry of Defence on May 19, 2026, the trials were conducted at a DRDO test range near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, in both air-to-ground and air-to-air modes. The missile system was operated using an integrated Ground Control System (GCS) designed to support command-and-control functions and automate readiness and launch operations. The programme involved DRDO laboratories, Indian production partners, UAV developers, and domestic industrial suppliers. 

The successful completion of these trials represents an important step toward strengthening India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat defence initiative. It also reflects the growing importance of precision-guided munitions, unmanned platforms, advanced seekers, and integrated command systems in the evolving aerospace and defence landscape.

What Is the ULPGM-V3 Missile System?

The ULPGM-V3 is an indigenous precision-guided missile developed for deployment from unmanned aerial vehicles. It builds on earlier versions of the ULPGM programme and expands the range of missions the system is designed to support.

The missile’s development reflects a broader shift in modern defence operations toward combining unmanned platforms with precision-guided weapons. UAV-launched systems can provide military forces with additional strike options while allowing the launch platform to operate remotely.

According to DRDO’s July 2025 announcement, the ULPGM-V3 incorporates a high-definition dual-channel seeker, day-and-night capability, and a two-way data link that supports post-launch target or aim-point updates. The missile also features three modular warhead configurations: an anti-armour warhead, a penetration-cum-blast warhead intended for anti-bunker applications, and a pre-fragmentation warhead.

These features demonstrate the programme’s emphasis on adaptability across different operational requirements. The final development trials in May 2026 further validated the system in air-to-ground and air-to-air modes.

Final Development Trials Mark an Important Milestone

The May 2026 trials evaluated the final deliverable configuration of the ULPGM-V3 in two broad mission categories.

The air-to-ground configuration supports the missile’s intended anti-tank role, while the air-to-air configuration is designed to engage airborne targets, including drones and helicopters. This dual-role capability expands the programme beyond a conventional ground-target engagement application.

The trials were conducted using UAVs developed by Newspace Research and Technologies, Bengaluru. The integrated Ground Control System formed an important part of the evaluation, providing the command-and-control interface for operating the weapon system.

The completion of development trials is a significant programme achievement, although it should not automatically be interpreted as confirmation of full operational induction. Further user evaluation, procurement decisions, and deployment steps may determine how the system enters service with the armed forces.

Advanced Guidance Technology Strengthens Precision Capabilities

Precision-guided munitions are becoming increasingly important because defence forces require weapons capable of engaging designated targets with greater accuracy and operational flexibility.

The ULPGM-V3’s dual-channel seeker and two-way data link are important elements of its design. The seeker supports target acquisition, while the data link allows post-launch updates to the target or aim point. Together with day-and-night operating capability, these features broaden the conditions under which the system is intended to function.

The modular warhead architecture also supports mission flexibility. Different warhead configurations can address different target categories, reducing the need to rely on a single configuration for every mission.

For India, the development of these technologies contributes to a domestic knowledge base spanning guidance systems, electro-optical technologies, missile subsystems, control electronics, and integration with unmanned aircraft.

UAV Integration Expands India’s Unmanned Warfare Ecosystem

The ULPGM-V3 programme demonstrates the growing relationship between indigenous UAV development and precision-guided weapons.

Unmanned aircraft are increasingly used in surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, and other defence missions. Integrating weapons with these platforms can extend their operational roles, provided that aircraft compatibility, flight performance, command systems, and relevant certification requirements are addressed.

Newspace Research and Technologies developed the UAV platforms used in the ULPGM-V3 trials. DRDO has also indicated that it is pursuing integration of the weapon system with long-range, high-endurance UAVs from other Indian companies.

This creates opportunities across the wider aerospace supply chain, including UAV airframes, onboard electronics, communications systems, ground-control infrastructure, and weapon integration.

Indigenous Manufacturing Supports Defence Self-Reliance

A major strategic aspect of the ULPGM-V3 programme is the participation of Indian production agencies and domestic industrial suppliers.

DRDO partnered with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Limited for missile development and production. Research Centre Imarat in Hyderabad served as the nodal laboratory, working with the Defence Research and Development Laboratory in Hyderabad, the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory in Chandigarh, and the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory in Pune. 

The programme also involved micro, small, and medium enterprises and other domestic industries. According to the Ministry of Defence, the trials confirmed a mature domestic supply chain considered ready for serial mass production.

Domestic manufacturing can reduce reliance on imported components, strengthen supply-chain resilience, and develop industrial capabilities that support future defence programmes. It can also help Indian suppliers gain experience in manufacturing complex defence systems to demanding quality and reliability standards.

Strategic Significance for India’s Defence Modernisation

The ULPGM-V3 development milestone aligns with India’s broader efforts to modernise its armed forces and increase domestic defence production.

Precision-guided weapons can provide more specialised engagement options, while UAV integration offers additional flexibility in how forces deploy surveillance and strike capabilities. The ability to develop these technologies domestically also strengthens India’s control over important parts of the development and production process.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the successful development trials as a strategic milestone for self-reliance in defence and congratulated DRDO, public-sector organisations, production partners, and industry participants.

The programme is therefore significant not only for the missile itself but also for the collaboration it demonstrates between government research institutions and private-sector manufacturers.

Opportunities for India’s Aerospace and Defence Industry

The development of the ULPGM-V3 creates opportunities across several interconnected areas of India’s defence ecosystem.

Precision-guided munitions: Continued development can support domestic expertise in seekers, guidance electronics, control systems, warhead integration, and missile testing.

Unmanned aerial systems: The integration programme can encourage further collaboration between UAV developers, defence laboratories, and weapon manufacturers.

Defence electronics: Advanced guidance and control systems create demand for reliable electronic components, embedded systems, sensors, and secure communications equipment.

Manufacturing and industrial participation: The involvement of BDL, Adani Defence, and domestic suppliers demonstrates the role of production partnerships in moving defence technologies from development toward manufacturing.

Testing and integration: Future programmes can create demand for test infrastructure, system validation, integration expertise, and lifecycle support.

These opportunities can contribute to the expansion of India’s domestic defence industrial base, although actual commercial benefits will depend on subsequent procurement, production volumes, and operational requirements.

Challenges and the Road Ahead

Despite the milestone, moving a defence system from development trials to operational service involves additional considerations.

The armed forces must evaluate system performance against their requirements, while production agencies must demonstrate consistent manufacturing quality and reliability. UAV integration, maintenance arrangements, training, logistics, and lifecycle support will also influence long-term adoption.

Supply-chain maturity is important, but serial production at scale still requires appropriate procurement decisions, production planning, quality assurance, and delivery schedules.

The defence environment is also evolving rapidly, increasing the importance of adaptable technologies and integration with broader unmanned and command-and-control architectures.

Continued collaboration among DRDO laboratories, production agencies, UAV manufacturers, and domestic suppliers will therefore be essential to translating the ULPGM-V3 development milestone into sustained industrial and operational capability.

Conclusion

The completion of ULPGM-V3 development trials represents a significant milestone in India’s pursuit of indigenous precision-guided munitions and advanced unmanned aerial capabilities. Its evaluation in air-to-ground and air-to-air modes, combined with an integrated Ground Control System, modular warhead options, and advanced seeker technology, highlights the programme’s broader technological ambitions.

The participation of Research Centre Imarat, other DRDO laboratories, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Limited, Newspace Research and Technologies, and domestic industrial suppliers also demonstrates the importance of collaboration in building India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem.

Looking ahead, further evaluation, procurement, and production decisions will determine the pace at which the capability progresses toward operational deployment. The programme nevertheless underscores India’s continued investment in precision-guided weapons, indigenous defence technologies, UAV integration, and self-reliant aerospace manufacturing.

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