DRDO of India is actively testing the Autonomous Flying Wing (AFW) technology demonstrator to further bolster indigenous drone-making capabilities. The unmanned aircraft marks a considerable evolution for the country with a drone solution more akin to advanced forms found in the West. Capable of operating under full autonomy, a successful first-flight of the system was announced on July 1st, 2022, this specimen flown with a vertical tailfin in place.
The aircraft was developed by the engineers of the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) as part of the DRDO consortium.
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
✓X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.
✓Unmanned Capability
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.
monoplane / mid-mounted / swept-back
Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represent the most popular mainplane arrangement.
Mid-Mounted
Mainplanes are mounted along the midway point of the sides of the fuselage.
Swept-Back
The planform features wing sweep back along the leading edges of the mainplane, promoting higher operating speeds.
(Structural descriptors pertain to the DRDO AFW production variant)
Installed:
1 x Non-afterburning turbofan engine of unknown make, model, and output thrust.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the DRDO AFW production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
None. Mission-equipment for the testing role carried internally.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
AFW ("Autonomous Flying Wing") - Base Project Name.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
Images Gallery
1 / 1
Official image from DRDO; Press Release.
Similar Aircraft
Aviation developments of similar form and function, or related to, the DRDO AFW (Autonomous Flying Wing)...
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.
India
