Hyderabad-based Aerospace Startup ‘Spantrik’ successfully tests mini VTVL vehicle ‘Hopstone’ and validates Avionics, TVC, & GNC systems

Hyderabad-based aerospace startup Spantrik has taken a major step forward in private Indian space tech with the successful test flight of Hopstone, its vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) vehicle. 

The low-altitude hops validated critical flight systems and set the stage for the company’s next autonomous VTVL demonstrator.

Spantrik Successfully Tests Hopstone VTVL Vehicle in Hyderabad

The Hopstone flight took place at a private test site near Hyderabad. During these short, controlled hops, the team successfully tested avionics, thrust-vector control, and guidance systems. 

These systems had previously only been trialed in labs and simulations. Local startup channels noted that the test “validated avionics/TVC/GNC for Leapfrogger,” showing the hardware and software are ready for the next stage.

Hopstone: Specs, Purpose and Why It Matters

Hopstone is a small test vehicle built for short, low-altitude flights. It’s not a full-size rocket but acts like a practice stage to test important systems before using them on bigger rockets.

During the December tests, Hopstone successfully showed that it can:

• Move and adjust its engines accurately (thrust-vector control)

• Respond to sensors correctly to stay balanced

• Take off and land safely at low heights

• Follow commands from its flight computer reliably

These tests help Spantrik ensure that the systems controlling rocket flight, especially landing safely and adjusting in real time — actually work in the air, not just on a computer. For laypeople, it’s like testing the brakes and steering of a car at low speed before driving on a highway.

With Hopstone’s successful flight, Spantrik can now confidently move to Leapfrogger, a bigger autonomous test vehicle. This reduces risk, makes future flights safer, and brings the company closer to building a fully reusable rocket, which could one day cut costs and make launching satellites faster and cheaper.

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About Spantrik, the Founder & Future Plans

Spantrik was founded in May 2022 by Kajal Rajbhar, an IIT dropout with a background in astrophysics and engineering. She leads a four-member core team with hands-on rocketry experience. Rajbhar earlier said, “Leapfrogger will test VTVL capabilities in September 2025.”

While Hopstone is the current focus, the startup also works on its Eureka LOX-LNG engine, which successfully completed a hot-fire test in July 2024. This engine will power larger test vehicles and eventually support Spantrik’s planned reusable rocket system.

The Hopstone test confirms the startup’s flight systems are ready and marks a key milestone as the company prepares for Leapfrogger and beyond.

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