BITS Pilani Hyderabad to set up wind tunnel facility for aerospace research

BITS Pilani on Monday said a wind tunnel facility will be set up at its Hyderabad campus for aerodynamic testing and research.

The facility is expected to be completed next year, the institute said.

With the ability to recreate wind speeds of up to 220 kilometres per hour, the BITS Pilani wind tunnel will provide insights into the dynamics of flight, the institute said in a statement.

The tunnel will be able to test aerodynamic effects on a diverse range of subjects, including full-scale drones, automobiles, parachutes and electric vehicle battery management systems.

"Leading educational institutions have already seen successful drone startups emerge, such as Ideaforge from IIT Bombay and BotLab Dynamics from IIT Delhi. We envision BITS Pilani joining these institutions in spearheading the development of frontier technologies in drones, UAVs, and space," BITS Pilani Director of Hyderabad campus and off-campus programmes and industry engagement, Prof G Sundar, said.

The wind tunnel will play a pivotal role in establishing BITS Pilani as a hub for deep-tech entrepreneurship, Sundar added.