Aerodynamics & Propulsion Engineer, Propeller Systems

Kodainya is hiring an aerodynamics and propulsion engineer to own propeller design and propulsion-system integration across the drone platform programme. The role sits within the engineering group and reports to the head of platforms.

The engineer will lead airfoil design, blade-element analysis, and full-CFD optimisation across the propeller product line. Work spans conceptual sizing through wind-tunnel validation, motor-propeller matching, acoustic-signature reduction, and manufacturing handoff to composite tooling. The role runs from clean-sheet propeller design through iterative optimisation against endurance, noise, and thrust targets.

Domestic propeller design capability at production scale is a rare gap in India's drone ecosystem. This role owns that gap. The role suits engineers who have designed production propellers, worked across blade-element momentum theory and full-CFD workflows, and want to build indigenous propulsion capability aligned with the Ministry of Defence's Aatmanirbhar Bharat framework. All engineering work is done in Bengaluru with periodic deployments to NAL, HAL, and DRDO test facilities.

• Own propeller design across two-blade, three-blade, and folding configurations, from airfoil selection through blade-element analysis and 3D geometry generation.
• Run CFD analysis using URANS, LES, or actuator-disk methods across hover, forward-flight, and off-design regimes.
• Perform blade-element momentum theory (BEMT) analysis for rapid design iteration and preliminary sizing.
• Match propellers to brushless motors across the KV range used on Kodainya platforms, covering thrust curves, efficiency maps, and thermal envelopes.
• Design and run wind-tunnel and static-thrust test campaigns, including load-cell integration, torque measurement, and acoustic characterisation.
• Own the propeller acoustic-signature workflow, including tonal noise reduction, broadband noise modelling, and directivity mapping.
• Coordinate with the airframe team on propeller-airframe interaction, including download effects, VTOL transition, and hover-in-ground-effect performance.
• Lead composite layup design for propeller blades, including ply schedules for carbon-fibre and glass-fibre variants.
• Document design decisions, wind-tunnel results, and propeller performance databases inside the Kodainya engineering handbook.

• Bachelor's or Master's in aerospace, aeronautical, or mechanical engineering, with 4 to 8 years of production propeller, rotor, or turbomachinery design experience.
• Fluent in blade-element momentum theory and comfort with rotor performance prediction tools (QMIL, JBLADE, XROTOR, or in-house equivalents).
• Working knowledge of at least one CFD tool (ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, STAR-CCM+) applied to rotating machinery.
• Working knowledge of airfoil design and analysis tools (XFOIL, MSES, or equivalent).
• Direct experience with wind-tunnel testing, load-cell instrumentation, and post-test data analysis.
• Familiarity with brushless-motor characterisation, including efficiency mapping and thermal modelling.
• Hands-on experience with composite propeller fabrication, including ply layup, tooling design, and post-cure balancing.
• Willingness to work on-site in Bengaluru and travel to test facilities and manufacturing partners.

• Experience with variable-pitch, coaxial, or contra-rotating rotor systems.
• Familiarity with acoustic signature reduction techniques, including serrated trailing edges, tip-vortex management, and blade-count optimisation.
• Exposure to NAL wind-tunnel facilities, HAL propeller shop, or DRDO propulsion labs.
• Prior work on high-altitude propellers, hybrid-electric propulsion, or ducted-fan configurations.
• Reading knowledge of MIL-P-8686, MIL-STD-810G, or CEMILAC propeller airworthiness codes.
• Published papers or patents on propeller aerodynamics, rotor acoustics, or propulsion-airframe integration.
• Contributions to open-source rotor design tools (QMIL, JBLADE, or similar).