TAPAS-BH-201 / Rustom II
India's indigenous medium-altitude surveillance aircraft, with demonstrated flight activity and a development history that must be separated from operational acceptance.
- Country / region
- India
- Programme status
- Development / trials
- Sources reviewed
- 20 Sept 2026
- Primary domain
- Air
- System type
- Reconnaissance aircraft
- Developer / manufacturer
- DRDO — Aeronautical Development Establishment
- Origin / production countries
- India
- Other names
- TAPAS; Rustom II; TAPAS BH-201
- Variants / configurations
- TAPAS-BH-201; earlier Rustom II programme identity
- Operators / programme customers
- DRDO development and flight-test programme; operational service acceptance not established
Evidence & current status
Flight-test evidence is established. Current operational acceptance and a current production configuration were not established in the reviewed primary sources.
Role & capabilities
- Reconnaissance aircraft
Specifications in context
- Airframe
- Fixed-wing MALE surveillance aircraft
Government programme description.
Source - Launch / recovery
- Not established from the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source - Propulsion
- Not established from the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source - Dimensions
- Not established from the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source - Mass
- Not established from the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source - Endurance
- 18+ hours
DRDO March 2023 statement; not the original 24-hour objective.
Source - Range
- Not established from the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source - Speed
- Not established from the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source - Altitude
- Up to 28,000 ft
DRDO March 2023 operating-altitude statement.
Source - Payload
- Not established from the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source - Sensors
- Not established from the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source - Communications / navigation
- Not established from the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source