IITB

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BOMBAY

The IITB is heading a team of Indian national aerospace organisations, sponsored by a department of the Ministry of Science and Technology, to develop airship designs for various domestic applications under the generic title PADD (Programme on Airship Design and Development). As proposed, PADD will proceed through three phases (conceptual design, preliminary design, and detailed design and development, of six, 12 and 18 months duration respectively).
Initial Phase I activity has included a small unmanned prototype, the PADD Micro, which made its first flight on 23 January 2002; this craft is 5 m (16.4 ft) long and has an envelope volume of 6.8 m³ (240 cu ft). It is to be followed by a larger version (PADD Demo) with 15 to 20 kg (33 to 44 lb) payload capacity. Future plans include a 100 kg (220 lb) payload airship and, eventually, one with the ability to carry 15 passengers or 1.500 kg (3,307 lb) of cargo.

Additional Info

  • Address: Department of Aerospace Engineering, Mumbai 400 076, India
  • Tel: (+91 22) 576 71 01 and 576 71 02
  • Fax: (+91 22) 572 26 02
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