Chitradurga Aeronautical Test Range

Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga is an out-door testing and evaluation facility set up by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) exclusively for unmanned and manned aircraft. The ATR is under the command of the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE).[1][2]

ATR, Chitradurga is located at Varavoo Kaval in Challakere Taluk of Chitradurga district on a 4,290 acre plot.[3][4] The land was bought by the Ministry of Defence from the Karnataka state government for Rs.12 crore (Rs.120 million) in a deal negotiated in 2008.[5] The project was set up with an investment of Rs 1300 Crores.

ATR, Chitradurga has a Range Control Centre (RCC) with air traffic display system. It is equipped with a mission video distribution and display system. It has a Radar Centre which houses primary and secondary surveillance radars. It has two hangars which houses unmanned aerial vehicles Rustom-1 and Rustom-2. The runway is currently 2.2 km long with the capacity to host take off and landing from any end.[6]

The project envisages a runway beside other tracking and control equipments and a rail link to the facility have also been planned. In 2021, ADE planned to expand the runway from 2.2 km to 3 km and set up a high-power computing facility.[1]

Chitradurga ATR is intended to conduct the trials of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), air-to-ground weapons, parachutes and aerostats.[7] It has been planned not to utilize Challakere ATR for test flight of ballistic missiles.

The Chitradurga ATR was partially activated on 15 December 2010.[8] The facility was formally inaugurated by the Union Defence and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 28 May 2017.[9][10][11]

  1. ^ a b M, Anantha Krishnan (2021-01-11). "DRDO lab preps for tests of upgraded cruise missile, UAV". The Week. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  2. ^ "Historical Background | Defence Research and Development Organisation - DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Government of India". www.drdo.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2021-06-27. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  3. ^ "DRDO to set up test range for UAV at Challakere in K'taka". OneIndia. 2008-11-01. Archived from the original on 2016-11-18. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  4. ^ "Karnataka allots 4,290 acres to DRDO project". The Hindu Business Line. 2011-02-27.
  5. ^ "DRDO to set up test range for UAV at Challakere in K'taka". November 2008.
  6. ^ M, Anantha Krishnan (2017-05-28). "Over to Challakere: Glimpse of DRDO's Aeronautical Test Range". Mathrubhumi. Archived from the original on 2017-11-29. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  7. ^ Subramanian, T. S. (2010-08-09). "Test range in Chitradurga coming up". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  8. ^ "New DRDO test range becomes operational". The Hindu Business Line. 2011-01-25. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  9. ^ Peermohamed, Alnoor (28 May 2017). "Jaitley inaugurates new aeronautical test range in Karnataka's Chitraduga Dt Challakere Tq". Business Standard India. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  10. ^ Urs, Anil (28 May 2017). "Defence Minister inaugurates DRDO's Aeronautical Test Range in Karnataka". The Hindu Business Line. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  11. ^ "Defence Minister inaugurates Rs 1,300 crore Aeronautical Test Range in Karnataka". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 28 May 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2017.