Chitradurga Aeronautical Test Range
Challakere Aeronautical Test Range is an out-door testing and evaluating facility being set up by DRDO exclusively for unmanned and manned aircraft.
Challakere ATR is located at Varavoo Kaval in Challakere Taluk of Chitradurga district on a 4,290 acre plot.
The land was bought by Ministry of Defence from the state government for Rs.12 crore in a deal negotiated in 2008.
The project is being set up with a planned investment of Rs 1300 Crores.
The project envisages a runway beside other tracking and control equipments and a rail link to the facility have also been planned.
Challakere ATR is intended to conduct the trials of unmanned aerial vehicles, air-to-ground weapons, parachutes and aerostats. It has been planned not to utilize Challakere ATR for test flight of ballistic missiles.
The Challakere ATR was partially activated on 15 December 2010. The facility was formally inaugurated by Union Defence and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 28 May 2017.
