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AAI clearances delay UAV testing at Challakere ATR despite surge in desi programmes By Anantha Krishnan Muralidharan Nair Tarmak Media House #TMH FORT KOCHI (KERALA), 19 MAY 2025: India’s push for indigenous unmanned aerial systems is encountering turbulence at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) near Chitradurga, Karnataka, with multiple UAV developers raising concerns over persistent delays caused by mandatory clearances from the Airports Authority of India (AAI). A subscale High-Altitude Platform (HAP) UAV, developed by CSIR-NAL, recently achieved back-to-back test flights at 24,000 ft AMSL, demonstrating notable robustness and reliability. The test missions were conducted from the DRDO-run ATR, which falls under the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE). The ATR has emerged as a critical testbed for India’s UAV ecosystem, involving both government agencies and private industry. NAL’s HAP -- now in its fourth year -- has attracted particular attention from the Indian Air Force #IAF. Touted as a loitering munition with stealth capabilities, the platform aims to scale 40,000 ft shortly, with an eventual goal of 70,000 ft. Its applications span both military and civilian domains, with swarming capability being a key focus for the IAF. Yet, despite this momentum, UAV developers report consistent setbacks due to AAI’s clearance protocols. Every trial requires prior approval from AAI -- a process they describe as time-consuming and operationally disruptive. “ATR lies beneath a busy civil aviation corridor -- the Bengaluru–Chennai–Bengaluru sector. Alongside DRDO and NAL, ISRO also uses the range for testing its Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV),” said an official familiar with the matter. ATR’s current 2-km-plus runway is undergoing planned expansion, and several support facilities -- including a wind tunnel for UAV testing -- are expected to become functional within the next two years. However, developers are calling for urgent reform in test protocols, especially after the boost in indigenous UAV activity following Operation Sindoor. “ATR should be designated as a permanent exclusion zone for civil air traffic. Its surrounding airspace must be reserved solely for defence testing. The current SOPs involving repeated NOTAMs are delaying critical trials. AAI should have no jurisdiction over strategic military ranges,” the official asserted. Repeated attempts to contact Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on his mobile phone were unsuccessful. A text message sent to one of his Personal Assistants following a brief exchange also went unanswered. AAI Executive Director (CNS & Planning) Suneel Dutt responded to a call but clarified that he is not the concerned authority on the issue. It remains to be seen whether this pressing matter will receive due attention during the high-profile drone warfare strategy session currently underway in New Delhi. ©TarmakMediaHouse (TMH) #ATR #Challakere #ISRO #DRDO #NAL #UAV #HAPS #CSIR #Military #Drones #AAI #AirportAuthorityofIndia #TarmakMediaHouse #TMH #IndiaFirst Tarmak Media House l #TMH l Formerly Tarmak007 Billion Beats Onmanorama Madhavdas G. Airports Authority of India Adedayo Osholowu ISRO CSIR, India CSIR-NAL Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu PMO India