- Why in news
- On 19 May 2026, DRDO announced it had completed final deliverable configuration development trials of ULPGM-V3 in air-to-ground and air-to-air modes at its test range near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
- What it is
- ULPGM-V3 is an Indian precision-guided missile designed to be fired from unmanned aerial vehicles. It is a DRDO-developed weapon with a nodal lab, partner labs and industry production agencies. It can be used against tanks on the ground and against airborne targets.
- Trial site and modes
- Trials were held at the DRDO test range near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, in air-to-ground and air-to-air modes.
- Nodal lab and partner labs
- Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad is the nodal lab. DRDL, TBRL Chandigarh and HEMRL Pune also contributed.
- Production partners
- Bharat Dynamics Limited and Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Limited, both in Hyderabad, are the production agencies.
- Launch platform
- For the current trials the system was integrated on UAVs developed by Newspace Research and Technologies, Bengaluru.
- Targets
- The air-to-ground mode is for an anti-tank role. The air-to-air mode is for drones, helicopters and other airborne targets.
- Ground Control System
- An integrated Ground Control System commanded and controlled the weapon and automates readiness and launch operations.
Don’t confuse with DRDL vs RCI: Research Centre Imarat is the nodal lab for ULPGM. DRDL Hyderabad is only a contributing lab.
Don’t confuse with TBRL vs HEMRL: TBRL Chandigarh works on terminal ballistics. HEMRL Pune works on high energy materials such as explosives and propellants.
Defence: Prelims tests exercises (with whom), equipment (who makes it) and firsts.
Why it matters
- Strengthens indigenous drone-borne precision strike capability and reduces import dependence.
- Involves MSMEs and private firms, supporting defence industrial base under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Problems
- Reliable performance in operational conditions still needs user trials and induction.
- Scaling serial production while keeping quality and supply chain depth.
Way forward
- Complete user trials and induct into the armed forces with firm orders.
- Build export and further R&D capability on a mature domestic supply chain.
Put in your answer
Domestic supply chain: The trials confirmed a mature domestic supply chain, equipped for immediate serial mass production.
Industry partnership: Public sector BDL and private Adani Defence are production partners, with MSME involvement.
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UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: A DRDO missile development; defence items drew 8 Prelims questions since 2013, but this is a trial with few testable facts, and defence hardware rarely reaches Mains.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.