First Graduation Ceremony for RPA Test Pilots in India

Air Vice Marshal RKS Bhadauria VM, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Projects), IAF, visited the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bangalore to attend Valedictory Function of the first Remotely Piloted Aircraft Flight Test and Evaluation Course on December 21st

The Air Force Test Pilots School (AFTPS) established in 1973 is a premier institution in India which trains flight test crew in both fixed as well as rotary wing aircraft. A total of 33 Flight Test Courses and 12 Production Test Pilot Courses have been completed to date. It is a part of ASTE and it is one of the seven Test Pilots Schools in the world and the only one-of-its kind in Asia. The school has been training Production Test Pilots and Experimental Test Pilots and Flight Test Engineers in Fixed Wing and Rotary Wing manned aircraft.

Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) have proven to be force enablers in aerial campaigns and have changed the complexion of future wars. With increasing emphasis on indigenous development, DRDO has in parallel initiated numerous RPA programmes to meet the future requirements of the armed forces.

With the rapid growth of RPA, flight testing of indigenous RPA assumes greater significance. With this objective, the first ever Remotely Piloted Aircraft Flight Test and Evaluation Course within the country was conducted at AFTPS.

Air Vice Marshal Bhadauria awarded Graduation Certificates to RPA Test Pilots and RPA Test Engineers, and the trophy for the best all-round student was awarded to Wing Commander N V Ramachandran.

Source: Press Release

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