Bengaluru: Green Aero has marked a significant milestone in India’s indigenous defence aerospace sector with the successful test firing of its sub-kilonewton (sub-kN) jet engine, designed to military-grade specifications.
This compact propulsion system, developed entirely in-house, demonstrates remarkable versatility by operating seamlessly on both conventional jet fuel and diesel, opening avenues for dual-use applications in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and loitering munitions.
The test firing, conducted at a secure facility near Bengaluru, validated the engine’s performance across a spectrum of thrust levels, with stable operation recorded for over 45 minutes under simulated high-altitude conditions.
Green Aero, a rising player in Karnataka’s burgeoning aerospace ecosystem, leverages advanced materials like high-temperature ceramics and additive-manufactured components to achieve a power-to-weight ratio superior to many imported counterparts.
This achievement aligns with India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers for small jet engines critical to swarming drone tactics and precision strike capabilities.
Military-grade certification implies rigorous compliance with standards akin to those of DRDO and HAL, including vibration tolerance, thermal cycling endurance, and electromagnetic compatibility for integration with indigenous avionics.
The engine’s dual-fuel capability addresses logistical challenges in extended operations, particularly for border deployments where diesel commonality with ground vehicles enhances sustainment.
Sources close to the development indicate peak thrust exceeding 200 N, with specific fuel consumption rates competitive against global benchmarks like the PBS TJ100 series.
Green Aero’s engineers employed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and rapid prototyping to iterate designs, compressing development timelines to under 18 months.
This test paves the way for integration into next-generation loitering munitions, akin to the ALS-50 being indigenised by Solar Industries, bolstering India’s asymmetric warfare posture against regional threats.
The firm’s Bengaluru roots tap into the city’s talent pool from IISc and surrounding PSUs, fostering a cluster effect similar to HAL’s rotary-wing hub.
Future scaling could extend to micro-turbojets for high-speed target drones, supporting missile trials for systems like Akash-NG. Environmental considerations influenced the design, with diesel mode enabling lower-emission profiles for training sorties.
Defence analysts view this as a game-changer for private sector participation, potentially attracting offsets from global OEMs like Safran or Honeywell under Make-II procedures.
Green Aero’s parent entity, backed by venture funding from Indian deep-tech investors, plans certification flights by mid-2026.
This sub-kN engine complements larger efforts like GTRE’s Kaveri derivative, forming a full-spectrum indigenous propulsion pipeline. Export potential looms large, with interest from South Asian allies seeking cost-effective UAV powerplants amid rising Indo-Pacific tensions.
The test data, corroborated by independent telemetry, showed no hotspots or thrust asymmetry, underscoring design maturity.
Green Aero now eyes MoD qualification, positioning for RFPs in swarm drone constellations under the iDEX framework.
This breakthrough reinforces Bengaluru’s status as India’s Silicon Valley for aerospace, rivalling Hyderabad’s contributions.
