A new Indian-made drone has taken to the skies at Pokhran, and it is designed to travel a remarkable 1,000 km.

KAL, described as India’s first indigenous long-range one-way attack drone, was successfully flight-tested at the Pokhran range in Rajasthan. Developed by Noida-based defence technology company IG Defence, the drone was launched from a vehicle-mounted platform.

The test marks an important step in the development of India’s long-range unmanned strike capabilities. KAL has been designed for long-range missions and can reportedly cover up to 1,000 km, with an endurance of seven to eight hours.

According to a report in Business Standard, the drone can carry a payload of up to 50 kg and operate at altitudes of up to 5,000 metres above mean sea level. The drone combines multi-band GNSS and inertial navigation systems (INS) to support autonomous navigation during its mission. During the Pokhran trial, the system’s airframe, propulsion, avionics, navigation and mission architecture were put to the test.

Launched From a Mobile Platform

One of the notable features of the trial was the use of a vehicle-mounted launch platform. A road-mobile system can offer greater flexibility by allowing such platforms to be deployed from different locations rather than depending entirely on fixed launch infrastructure.

KAL belongs to a category of long-range, one-way attack drones designed to travel to designated targets as part of a single-use mission. According to IG Defence, the system can be configured for precision engagement of targets such as infrastructure, radar installations and air-defence systems, subject to operational authorisations.

A Sign of Changing Warfare

The development comes as long-range unmanned systems become increasingly prominent in modern conflicts.

Recent conflicts have demonstrated how drones can be used for long-range operations and put pressure on air-defence systems. Their expanding role has also accelerated interest in autonomous flight, precision navigation and scalable unmanned platforms.

IG Defence founder and CEO Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya described the Pokhran test as an important milestone in the company’s efforts towards indigenous defence technology.

What Comes Next for KAL?

KAL is part of IG Defence’s wider portfolio of unmanned and autonomous systems. The company says the drone can also be integrated with its GRID battle management system, an AI-enabled architecture designed to coordinate unmanned platforms and battlefield information. The company has also said KAL could enter international markets, subject to government approvals and export clearances.

With its successful Pokhran flight test, KAL adds another indigenous system to India’s rapidly expanding unmanned technology landscape.