Drone Design Engineer, Airframe & Aerospace Systems

Kodainya is hiring a drone design engineer to own airframe development and aerospace systems integration across the defence-drone platform programme. The role sits within the engineering group and reports to the head of platforms.

The engineer will lead concept-to-prototype design across fixed-wing, rotary, and hybrid VTOL testbeds. Work spans parametric CAD modelling, aerodynamic analysis through CFD, structural optimisation, materials selection, and prototype fabrication. The role runs from initial requirements through wind-tunnel validation, flight-test iteration, and manufacturing handoff.

The role suits engineers who have shipped production airframes, worked across the full aerospace design cycle, and want to build indigenous drone platforms aligned with the Ministry of Defence's Aatmanirbhar Bharat framework. All engineering work is done in Bengaluru with periodic deployments to trial sites and manufacturing partners in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Hyderabad.

• Own airframe design across fixed-wing, multirotor, and hybrid VTOL platforms, from concept sketches through detailed CAD and manufacturing drawings.
• Run aerodynamic analysis using CFD tools (ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, or STAR-CCM+) across cruise, climb, hover, and transition regimes.
• Perform structural analysis using FEA on primary load paths, control surfaces, motor mounts, landing gear, and payload bays.
• Select materials across carbon-fibre composites, aluminium alloys, and 3D-printed polymers, weighing stiffness, weight, cost, and manufacturability targets.
• Lead prototype fabrication cycles, including tooling design, layup schedules, and post-cure inspection.
• Coordinate with the propulsion team on motor-propeller matching, thrust-to-weight targets, and endurance modelling.
• Own wind-tunnel test campaigns and correlate results against CFD predictions and flight-test telemetry.
• Contribute to type-certification packages against DGCA CAR Section 3 Series X requirements, including structural substantiation and flight-envelope documentation.
• Document design decisions, tradeoff studies, and revision history inside the Kodainya engineering handbook.

• Bachelor's or Master's in aerospace, aeronautical, or mechanical engineering, with 3 to 7 years of production airframe design experience.
• Fluent in one production CAD suite (SolidWorks, CATIA, NX, or Fusion 360), with parametric modelling and assembly-level work at hundreds of parts.
• Working knowledge of at least one CFD tool (ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, STAR-CCM+, or XFLR5) applied to UAV-scale problems.
• Working knowledge of at least one FEA tool (ANSYS Mechanical, Abaqus, or Altair HyperMesh) for static, modal, and buckling analysis.
• Direct experience with composite layup design, including ply schedules, fibre orientation, and hand-layup or resin-infusion processes.
• Hands-on prototype fabrication experience, from CNC-milled tooling to post-cure trimming and balancing.
• Familiarity with UAV-scale propulsion sizing, endurance modelling, and centre-of-gravity envelope analysis.
• Willingness to work on-site in Bengaluru and travel to trial sites and manufacturing partners for flight campaigns.

• Experience with hybrid VTOL transition dynamics across tail-sitter, tilt-rotor, or tilt-wing configurations.
• Familiarity with DGCA type certification, CEMILAC airworthiness codes, or Ministry of Defence trial protocols.
• Exposure to the iDEX ecosystem, DRDO test facilities, or DPSU integration projects.
• Prior work on tethered platforms, MALE-class UAVs, or hybrid-electric powertrains.
• Reading knowledge of MIL-STD-810G, DO-254, or DO-178C standards.
• Contributions to open-source aerospace design tools (OpenVSP, XFLR5, or similar).