India’s First Indigenous 5 kN Rotating Detonation Engine Validated at TRL-5; D-Propulse Targets Flight-Ready System by December 2027
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Defence propulsion startup D-Propulse has successfully demonstrated India’s first indigenous 5 kN air-breathing Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) integrated with an aerospike nozzle, marking a significant milestone in the country’s advanced propulsion capabilities. Conducted at a DRDO government test facility, the hot-fire demonstration achieved stable 5 kN thrust, validating the technology at Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-5, which signifies validation in a relevant operational environment.
Incubated at IIT Madras, the company said the demonstration marks the transition from laboratory-scale validation to an integrated prototype and is targeting a flight-ready engine by December 2027.
The milestone comes amid growing global interest in propulsion technologies that improve speed, efficiency and manufacturing scalability for future defence platforms. Unlike conventional jet engines, Rotating Detonation Engines use pressure-gain combustion, improving thermodynamic efficiency while eliminating moving parts inside...
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