WATCH: Dramatic videos of DRDO drone TAPAS crashing during trial in Karnataka's Chitradurga go viral

DRDO's Tapas UAV crashes during trial flight in Karnataka's Chitradurga, prompting an inquiry; villagers gather at the scene as videos of the incident go viral on social media.

A Tapas unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) belonging to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) met with an accident, crashing into agricultural fields near a village in Karnataka's Chitradurga on a Sunday morning, as reported by officials. The UAV, known as TAPAS, was engaged in a trial flight when the incident occurred.

Defence officials stated, "A Tapas drone being developed by the DRDO crashed during a trial flight in a village of Chitradurga district, Karnataka." They further added, "DRDO is briefing the Defence Ministry about the mishap, and an inquiry is being carried out to determine the specific reasons behind the crash," as conveyed to news agency ANI.

The news of the crash quickly spread through the local community, prompting villagers to rush to the crash site in hopes of catching a glimpse of the UAV. Visuals from the scene depict the damaged UAV, with its equipment strewn across the field.

The Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance-Beyond Horizon-201, or Tapas BH-201, is a long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle that was formerly referred to as Rustom-II.