India’s DRDO Hails Successful Trials of ULPGM-V3 Counter-Drone System Ignoring Key Lessons From Ukraine War: OPED
AI Analysis
India’s DRDO has completed development trials of the ULPGM-V3, a loitering munition designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground counter-drone operations. The system is intended for area defense, complementing cheaper, short-range interceptor drones. While initial trials used a multicopter platform, a more capable fixed-wing drone is anticipated for eventual deployment.
Key Takeaways
- The ULPGM-V3 is a UAV-launched precision-guided missile intended to engage drones and helicopters.
- The system utilizes a 2kg warhead and reportedly achieves a 1-meter CEP, according to past reports.
- Development was conducted by multiple DRDO laboratories, leveraging a domestic supply chain and enabling 'immediate serial mass production'.
- Initial trials utilized a multicopter launch platform, but a transition to a fixed-wing drone with improved performance characteristics is expected.
- Critical weapon system specifications (range, seeker type, accuracy) remain undisclosed in the official release.
Why It Matters
The ULPGM-V3 represents India’s push for indigenous counter-drone capabilities, reducing reliance on foreign systems. Its area-defense focus addresses a critical vulnerability, particularly given the increasing drone threat. The transition to a fixed-wing platform will be key to maximizing the system’s effectiveness and operational range.
India’s DRDO Hails Successful Trials of ULPGM-V3 Counter-Drone System Ignoring Key Lessons From Ukraine War: OPED
Saturday, May 23, 2026
More
More
Share
The Indian MoD on May 19 announced the completion of development trials of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile-V3 (ULPGM-V3) in air-to-ground and air-to-air modes.
ULPGM is designed for UAV integration to destroy soft and hard targets, on the ground and in the air.
Conceptually, ULPGM is a loitering munition designed to engage adversary drones and helicopters attempting to attack Indian Army (IA) assets. As such, it is an area-defense counter-drone weapon system, unlike interceptor drones designed to protect platoon-level soldier deployments. Interceptor drones are relatively cheaper and can be widely deployed along the battlefront.
The PIB release announcing the completion of the flight trials states:
“Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully completed the final deliverable-configuration development trials of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 in air-to-ground and air-to-air modes at the DRDO test range near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. The trials were carried out using an integrated Ground Control System (GCS) to command and control the ULPGM weapon system. The GCS features state-of-the-art technologies to automate readiness and launch operations.”
ULPGM Capability
The PIB release does not reveal critical weapon-system specifications such as:
- Range 2. Type of seeker 3. Warhead weight and type 4. Accuracy
However, past news reports have claimed that the missile features a 2-kg warhead and has a 1-meter circular error probability (CEP).
The ULPGM missile has been developed by the Research Center Imarat, Hyderabad, as the nodal lab, along with other DRDO laboratories, namely the Defense Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad; the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh; and the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.
The missile has been produced entirely within the Indian defense ecosystem, leveraging a mature domestic supply chain. As such, it is ready for “immediate serial mass production.”
“Exactly What IAF Wanted”: Russia Tests Twin-Seat Variant of Su-57 Stealth Jet — Will India Bite the Bullet?
Launch Platform
The launch platform used for the trials — a multicopter developed by Newspace Research and Technologies, Bengaluru — is unlikely to emerge as the final platform.
Multicopters use commercially available Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) microcontrollers, propellers, batteries, and gyros. They are easy and relatively inexpensive to configure, but lack the speed, stealth, payload capacity, and range of drones with conventional winged airframes.
As such, it is possible that the IA will eventually deploy the ULPGM on a medium-sized drone with a conventional stealth-shaped airframe. Whether such a drone is already under development i