IIT Madras Hot-Fire Tests 5 kN Air-Breathing Rotating Detonation Engine

IIT Madras successfully conducts a hot-fire test of India’s first indigenously developed 5 kN air-breathing Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) integrated with an aerospike nozzle. The engine achieves sustained multi-second pressure-gain combustion and delivers a stable 5 kN thrust under operational test conditions.

5 kN Air-Breathing RDE Hot-Fire Test:

Dimension	Key Details
TRL status	The test confirms a TRL-5 achievement.
TRL-5 confirmation scope	The TRL-5 achievement confirms that the combustion chamber, detonation wave stability, and aerospike nozzle design can withstand realistic physical stresses.
Aerospike nozzle feature	The integrated aerospike nozzle adjusts naturally to varying atmospheric pressures, providing high efficiency from sea level to high altitudes.
Working principle (RDE)	An RDE utilises pressure-gain combustion, sustaining supersonic detonation waves continuously rotating around an annular channel.
Conventional engine contrast	Conventional jet engines rely on deflagration, which is subsonic flame propagation.
Thermodynamic efficiency	RDE delivers 15-25% higher thermodynamic efficiency than traditional air-breathing systems, offering greater thrust with reduced fuel consumption.
Architecture and manufacturing	RDE eliminates moving parts inside the combustor, allowing production via precision machining rather than complex turbine assemblies.
Future target and timeline	D-Propulse aims to develop a fully flight-ready engine by December 2027 for defence platforms.
Defence platform coverage	The targeted defence platforms comprise cruise missiles, target drones, and high-speed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).