ASTE marks graduation of 1st UAS test course

BENGALURU: The valedictory function of the “1st Test Course for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAVs)” — or drones — and the 25th Production Test Pilots (PTP) Course was held Friday at the Air Force Test Pilots School (AFTPS), under the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), Bengaluru.Air Marshal KAA Sanjeeb, director general (aircraft), was the chief guest. Senior representatives from the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) and the Society of Flight Test Engineers (SFTE) attended the ceremony.Meritorious student officers were presented trophies in recognition of their performance during the courses. The graduating officers from the PTP and the Test Course (UAS) will now be involved in test flying of production aircraft and in the testing of indigenous unmanned aerial systems currently under development. “Their work is expected to play a key role in strengthening India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives in the defence aerospace sector,” a ministry of defence (MoD) statement read.AFTPS, established under ASTE, is the only institution in the country that trains experimental and production flight test crew for fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned aerial systems, MoD said, adding that over the years, the school has produced test crew who have contributed to major defence aeronautical programmes and to space missions, including the Gaganyaan programme.

“Officers from friendly foreign countries have also undergone training at the school. So far, AFTPS has graduated 47 Flight Test Courses, 24 Production Test Pilots Courses and four RPA Test Courses. The school is among a small group of internationally recognised test pilot schools, with its standing endorsed by bodies such as SETP, SFTE and the Aeronautical Society of India,” MoD added.