Inbound Aerospace, a space technology start-up incubated at IIT Madras, has successfully completed an aerial drop test of its indigenously developed Precision Aerial Delivery System (PADS), becoming the first Indian space tech start-up to do so, The Hindu BusinessLine reported on Thursday.

Source: The Hindu BusinessLine

The Chennai-based company is developing reusable orbital spacecraft that, once injected into orbit, can operate independently using their own propulsion systems. PADS is part of the recovery process for those spacecraft, allowing a controlled and precise descent after re-entry.

The latest drop test was conducted from a height of 1 km. According to BusinessLine, PADS, capable of autonomous guidance and precise landings, will allow Inbound's spacecraft to land at a designated point within a 200-metre radius — unlike popular systems such as SpaceX's Dragon and Russia's Soyuz, which cannot precisely control where they land.

The test is part of a broader set of trials planned from up to 30 km, or the edge of space, Aviation Defence Universe reported. Inbound is eyeing the maiden launch of a prototype of its autonomous spacecraft by the second half of 2028.

Source: Aviation Defence Universe

Beyond the spacecraft programme, PADS also has individual applications in emergency response, aerial defence logistics and safety systems, where precision delivery of payloads is critical. The company is currently commercialising PADS as a drone safety and recovery system.

The milestone adds to India's growing private space sector, in which start-ups are building subsystems — from propulsion to recovery — that were earlier developed only by state agencies or imported.