JNCASR Signs MoU With Dreamfly Innovations For Aviation Batteries

New Delhi, Jan 23 (KNN) The Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dreamfly Innovations Pvt. Ltd., a Bengaluru-based company specialising in thermal battery technologies, to develop advanced thermal materials and thermoelectric devices for improved cooling of aviation batteries.

The collaboration aims to translate fundamental materials research into robust, deployable thermal management technologies for real-world aviation platforms.

It seeks to address critical challenges associated with heat management in high-energy-density lithium-based batteries, which are widely used in aviation applications.

Effective thermal regulation remains a major constraint, as excessive heat generation during high-power operations can compromise efficiency, shorten battery life and pose safety risks.

Although passive thermal management approaches such as phase change materials (PCMs) are attractive due to their low weight and zero power consumption, their practical use has been limited by the low thermal conductivity of conventional PCMs, resulting in slower heat absorption and accelerated battery degradation.

Efforts to enhance PCM performance through the addition of high-thermal-conductivity fillers have also faced limitations, particularly with respect to long-term stability.

Composite PCMs often experience additive agglomeration during repeated thermal cycling, which can reduce reliability over time.

Under the MoU, the partnership brings together JNCASR’s expertise in materials design, synthesis, advanced characterisation and thermal transport measurements, led by Professor Kanishka Biswas’s laboratory, with Dreamfly Innovations’ experience in aviation battery engineering and system-level integration.

The advanced thermal materials under development are expected to offer high thermal conductivity, enabling rapid heat absorption during high-load conditions, maintaining batteries within optimal operating temperature ranges, and supporting lightweight thermal regulation without compromising durability.

The collaboration is expected to contribute to improvements in performance, safety and operational endurance of aviation systems, including drones and other unmanned platforms, through materials-level innovation and industry–academia integration.

(KNN Bureau)