Since the Apollo era, space has become an increasingly valuable domain for national security due to diplomatic, informational, and economic reasons. The last few years have seen exponential growth in the launch of space objects and there is an increased interest in having a permanent cislunar presence through the Artemis program. The understanding of motion […]
Miniaturised technologies, due to their portability, rapid responses, low powers and ability of multi-component integration, have received an ever-growing interest in areas like healthcare, air quality, and space research. This talk will provide an overview of my research in 3 domains of miniaturised technologies: a) microfluidics, b) MEMS sensors and c) nanoaerosol instruments. I will […]
Laser beam is highly affected by prevailing atmospheric conditions and limit the system performance for various applications. The talk mainly covers the cause of optical turbulence, its effects on laser beam and further discuss the technologies for controlling the beam for enhancing the effectiveness. Two main techniques namely the Tip-tilt correction for maintaining the beam […]
The laminar to turbulent boundary layer transition onset has perplexed fluid dynamics community irrespective of the flow regime under which the phenomenon is probed. The complexity of the problem is compounded in high-speed compressible flows where in the transition onset location is a strong function of many subtle factors like freestream quality, surface roughness, wall […]
The intriguing annual migration of the dragonfly species, Pantala flavescens, was reported a century ago. The multi-generational, transoceanic migration circuit spanning 14000-18000 kms, from India to Africa is an astonishing feat for an insect few cms in size. Wind, precipitation, fuel, breeding, and the life cycle affect the migration, yet understanding of their collective role […]
Autonomous agents are increasingly being used to solve many tasks, deemed complex by humans, with ease and effectiveness. Two such applications are in defense scenarios and in coverage. This thesis, therefore, is devoted towards study of motion planning strategies for autonomous agents in the context of pursuit-evasion problems as well as different coverage problems. The […]
The global thrust towards the development of hypersonic cruise systems for various applications is leading towards slender configurations with lifting and control surfaces which are thin and complaint and face a hypersonic flow. Hypersonic flows are characterized by large flow kinetic energy and momentum, which manifests into strong shocks, high temperatures, and associated effects that […]
The aerodynamic shape of an aircraft plays a critical role in its performance. Aerodynamic Shape Optimization (ASO) modifies the shape to achieve desired performance metrics, such as reduced drag or increased lift. ASO integrates numerical optimization techniques with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Gradient-based optimization techniques are widely employed for ASO. The adjoint solution enables the […]
This dissertation focuses on surface preparation and its effect on the shear strength of adhesively bonded Single Lap Joints (SLJs) in Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), their fracture properties, and the associated Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) parameters. The surface preparation was carried out using different grades of emery paper so that the interfaces of different roughness […]
The quadcopters are increasingly used in cluttered environments as rapid advancements are made in the development of lightweight sensors and payloads. Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, crack detection on the interior surface of a pipe/tunnel, and close inspection in tropical forest environments are a handful of examples where quadcopters are being deployed. Safe operation in […]
Microwave absorption materials (MAMs) are crucial for both long-standing aeronautical and emerging space security applications, with carbon-based materials traditionally dominating the field due to their exceptional strength and lightweight nature. In recent years, other ceramic-based materials have emerged as promising alternatives, due to their superior resistance to thermal detection, due in turn to their low […]
Climate change has significantly exacerbated the wildfire seasons, increasing their frequency, duration, and scale of destruction. Globally, wildfires destroy approximately 400 million hectares of land annually, resulting in significant biodiversity loss, degradation of soil nutrients, and other ecological consequences. The fire locations are often inaccessible for ground-based interventions due to the challenging terrain, and current […]
