Sci-Tech · 19 Aug 2026
Rotating Detonation Engines (RDEs), such as the one recently demonstrated by D-Propulse at a DRDO facility, achieve higher thermodynamic efficiency than conventional combustors primarily because they rely on:
D-Propulse's 5 kN rotating detonation engine demonstration at a DRDO facility in Hyderabad marks a Technology Readiness Level-5 milestone, positioning an Indian entity within the same experimental tier as global players like GE Aerospace and Lockheed Martin in a field where no country yet holds a decisive commercial lead.
This question tests the underlying physical principle (constant-volume detonation vs constant-pressure combustion) rather than the surface fact that India tested an engine - exactly the conceptual depth UPSC rewards in emerging Sci-Tech topics.
Rotating Detonation Engines use constant-volume, supersonic detonation combustion - instead of conventional constant-pressure combustion - to achieve 10-25% higher thermodynamic efficiency; the technology remains at the R&D stage worldwide.
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