The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has released Research Verticals and Thrust Areas across its Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoE) to streamline and enhance research.

DRDO Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoEs) And Their Research Verticals

DRDO has established 15 DIA-CoEs at various IIT-s, IISc, Central and State Universities to build a directed research ecosystem through collaboration among DRDO labs, academia, and start-ups/industries. These centres aim to synergize the strengths of academia, students, researchers, industries, and DRDO scientists to boost research and innovation in futuristic defence technology domains. The DIA-CoEs will focus on developing advanced technologies for future defence systems through multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional collaborations.

Examples of DIA-CoEs and their research verticals include:

IIT-Delhi: Advanced Ballistics and Protection Technologies.

IIT-Jodhpur: Desert Warfare Technologies, Futuristic Omni Mobility Systems, and AI for information and Wargaming Technologies.

IIT-Kanpur: Printing on Flexible Substrates, Advanced Nanomaterials, Accelerated Material design and development, High Energy Materials, and Bio-Engineering.

IIT-Roorkee: Smart infrastructure and hardened structures for defence applications, Energy storage devices, Landslide, Snow and avalanche studies, Pulse lasers and Speciality Fibre, Shock and Detonics, and Thermal Management.

IIT-Kharagpur: Directed Energy System’s Technologies, Unmanned Underwater Robotic Technologies, Cognitive Technologies and Cyber Physical Defence Systems, and Quality, reliability and safety studies.

IIT-Madras: Power Electronics and its Thermal Management, and Hydro-Dynamics.

University of Hyderabad: High Energy Materials, and Computation Modelling.

Thrust Areas of Research

DRDO has identified thrust areas of research and formed specialist panels to focus on:

Aerodynamics Panel
Aerospace Resources Panel
Materials & Manufacturing Panel
Propulsion Panel
Structures Panel
Systems & Systems Engineering Panel
Unmanned Aero Systems, Avionics, Data-links & Payloads Aero-Mechanical & Propulsion Panel

Impact And Collaboration

The DIA-CoEs facilitate focused research by utilizing the knowledge base of professors and researchers at academic institutions and technology centres, with DRDO scientists providing expertise. DRDO funds projects and establishes technical facilities and infrastructure to boost R&D programs. This collaboration aims to produce futuristic technologies, build a strong ecosystem involving DRDO labs, academia, and industry, and develop skilled human resources.

IANS