IIT-H opens NABL-accredited lab for drone propulsion testing
HYDERABAD: Drone start-ups that earlier had to test vehicles informally or send them abroad for validation can now do so in the city, with the Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad operationalising a dedicated facility.
The eVTOL (vertical take-off and landing) and drone propulsion testing laboratory at Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad has been accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
The lab has been set up under the institute’s Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation (TIHAN) Foundation. The accreditation, in line with ISO/IEC 17025 standards, allows propulsion systems to be tested in a calibrated and traceable environment.
Data usable for regulatory processes
For manufacturers, thrust and performance data generated at the facility can be used for benchmarking, research documentation and regulatory processes.
According to the institute, the laboratory supports testing of single, coaxial and staggered propulsion configurations, with thrust capacities ranging from 0.1 kilogram-force to 70 kilogram-force.
The infrastructure supports testing up to 75 kilogram-force per motor, covering small drones as well as heavier payload platforms.
Focus on propulsion reliability
Santosh Reddy, chief executive officer of TIHAN, said NABL-accredited measurements include thrust, direct current, voltage, power and thrust efficiency at nominal speed. Revolutions per minute and temperature measurements are also available.
The facility can test brushless direct current motors with controllers rated from 29 kV to 3,000 kV, along with propeller assemblies used in unmanned aerial vehicles.
“Reliable propulsion validation is a critical step before deployment. Until now, many teams did not have easy access to accredited testing infrastructure within the country,” he said.
He added that the facility provides a structured environment where propulsion systems can be evaluated with calibrated instruments and documented performance data.
The lab is expected to support unmanned aerial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, advanced air mobility ventures, defence-linked research units and academic teams.
As the use of drones expands into logistics, surveillance, agriculture and urban mobility, propulsion reliability is emerging as a key concern. With certified testing now available locally, developers have one less barrier between prototype and field deployment.
