The first glimpse of the fully integrated Kaveri Derivative Engine (KDE), also called the Kaveri Dry Engine, in conjunction with the Advanced Full Authority Digital Engine Control Unit (AFADECU) has been made public by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), which is part of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
This milestone represents a significant development in India’s domestic turbofan engine program, which was created especially to power the First Vehicle of the Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft (RPSA).
With exposed turbine components, fuel lines, and control modules, the black-and-white picture highlights the engine’s complex structure and emphasizes that it is prepared for both ground and flight testing.
Optimized for unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) such as the DRDO Ghatak and now the RPSA, the KDE is a non-afterburning version of the original GTX-35VS Kaveri turbofan.
It used a single-spool design with a fixed exit nozzle, annular combustor, single-stage uncooled turbine, and four-stage axial flow compressor to provide roughly 49–51 kN of dry thrust.
With improvements including a modified fan for inlet pressure distortion tolerance appropriate for serpentine intakes on stealth vehicles, recent ground testing have confirmed its performance across entire throttle ranges, reaching consistent outputs close to 50 kN.
In order to improve control, performance, and stealth, the Kaveri Dry Engine (KDE) incorporates an innovative, domestic AFADECU as its digital brain. As of late 2025/early 2026, this GTRE-developed dual-lane digital control system has been qualified, integrated, and introduced into the program. With smooth redundancy, fault detection, real-time health monitoring, and careless throttle handling, it does away with manual backups.
Through automated modifications, this technology reduces weight and fuel usage while monitoring vibrations, temperatures, and thermal patterns to prevent problems like engine flame-outs. Its dependability under a variety of circumstances has been verified by more than 1,300 hours of testing carried out in association with Safran.
The DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) created the RPSA, a covert remotely piloted strike aircraft with internal weapons bays, low radar cross-section (RCS) design, and AI-driven autonomy for network-centric warfare.
With a smaller infrared signature that improves survivability, the KDE’s subsonic thrust profile fits the platform’s focus on endurance, stealth, and operational flexibility rather than high-speed dogfighting. The First Vehicle is positioned as a low-cost collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) demonstrator because to this integration.
Development partners have accelerated production: Azad Engineering is the main industry partner for producing vital components like titanium oil tanks and 3D-printed anti-icing assemblies, while Godrej delivered the first two KDE prototypes in April 2025 with six more in the works. Prototypes, such as a redesigned fan module and short jet pipe, were validated by high-altitude simulations in Russia, opening the door for in-flight testing on a modified Ilyushin Il-76 by late 2025 or early 2026.
By concentrating on tested dry variants for UAVs ahead of manned applications like TEJAS MK-2 or AMCA, this accomplishment revitalizes the Kaveri program after decades of difficulties, notably thrust deficits in the full wet variant.
With a goal of complete certification and Ghatak integration by 2026, GTRE’s new 130 kN test facility, which is almost finished, will allow local refining.
By lowering dependency on foreign engines and promoting an independent aerospace ecosystem, the RPSA-KDE partnership is expected to strengthen India’s unmanned strike capabilities.
