India’s Kaveri dry engine has successfully completed high-altitude and flight trials in Russia, achieving a peak dry thrust of 48.5 kN against its target of about 46 kN. Developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) of DRDO, the engine is being developed for India’s planned Ghatak stealth Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV). The successful trials are an important step towards its airworthiness certification and eventual integration with its intended platform.
About Kaveri Derivative Engine
The Kaveri Derivative Engine is a non-afterburning version of the original Kaveri engine. It is designed for aircraft that do not require the additional thrust generated by an afterburner. The engine is intended to provide around 46 kN of dry thrust, while the latest trials recorded 48.5 kN.
The high-altitude trials were conducted at the Central Institute of Aviation Motors, where conditions simulating high-altitude flight, including variations in air pressure and temperature, were recreated. The engine was subsequently flight-tested at the Gromov Flight Research Institute using a modified Ilyushin Il-76 flying testbed. One of the aircraft’s standard engines was replaced by the Kaveri engine, allowing engineers to evaluate its performance under actual flight conditions.
The trials covered different ambient pressures, Mach numbers and thrust requirements and involved both ground and flight testing. However, achieving the targeted thrust during trials does not by itself indicate operational readiness; further testing, evaluation and airworthiness certification are required before deployment.
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