Bengaluru | In a major boost to India’s growing unmanned aviation capabilities, the Indian Air Force’s elite Air Force Test Pilots School (AFTPS) has successfully trained its first dedicated drone test team. The milestone was marked at a valedictory function held on December 19 at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru.
The ceremony saw officers completing two specialised courses being honoured — the maiden Test Course (Unmanned Aerial Systems), focused exclusively on drone and unmanned platform testing, and the 25th Production Test Pilots Course. Officers who excelled during the courses were presented with trophies for outstanding performance.
The newly qualified officers will now take on critical roles within the Indian Air Force, including test flying of new fighter aircraft and evaluation of indigenously developed drones and unmanned aerial systems. Their expertise is expected to significantly strengthen India’s push towards self-reliance in defence aerospace under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The Air Force Test Pilots School is the only institution in the country authorised to train test pilots and flight test engineers for fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and unmanned systems. Over the decades, AFTPS has played a pivotal role in some of India’s most important military aviation programmes. Alumni of the school have been closely associated with the testing of platforms such as the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, the Dhruv helicopter and several other advanced aircraft.
The institution has also contributed to national strategic programmes, with several officers trained at AFTPS being associated with India’s ambitious human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan. So far, the school has produced graduates from 47 Flight Test Courses, 24 Production Test Pilot Courses and four Drone Test Courses.
Internationally recognised as one of the world’s premier test pilot training establishments, AFTPS also trains officers from friendly foreign nations, reflecting its global standing in flight test education.
The event was graced by Air Marshal KAA Sanjeev, VSM, Director General (Aircraft), Indian Air Force, as the chief guest. Senior IAF officers, along with representatives from DRDO, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and international flight testing organisations, were also present at the ceremony, underscoring the growing importance of advanced testing and evaluation in India’s defence ecosystem.
