K. M. Kiran Babu

Dr. K. M. Kiran Babu is an accomplished academician and researcher in Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering, holding a Ph.D. from IIT Bombay. He is currently an Assistant Professor at Mahindra University, Hyderabad. His experience includes roles as Assistant Professor at ADCET, Ashta and as a Project Research Scientist at IIT Bombay.

Dr. K. M. Kiran Babu is a recognized innovator, holding a patent granted by the Indian Patent Office for “BUOYANCY CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A LIGHTER THAN AIR SYSTEM AND A METHOD THEREOF“. His research contributions are extensive, with numerous journal articles and conference proceedings to his credit.

Dr. Kiran Babu’s contributions have been acknowledged through several awards and achievements, including the “Outstanding Student (Research): 2023-24” from ISTE Maharashtra – Goa Section and the “Best Teacher Award – 2023” from Sant Dnyaneshwar Shikshan Sanstha. He has also been involved in organizing various events, serving as Publications Chair for DELTAs 2024 and an Organizing Committee Member for DELTAS 2022.

• Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai. (2025)
  Thesis title: Design and Sizing of Buoyant Systems for Planetary Exploration.

• M.Tech., Aeronautical Engineering, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai. (2013)

• B.E., Aeronautical Engineering, St. Peters Engineering College, Anna University, Chennai. (2011)

Journal Articles

• K. M. Kiran Babu and R. S. Pant, “A review of lighter-than-air systems for exploring the atmosphere of venus,” Progress in Aerospace Sciences, vol. 112, p. 100 587, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2019.100587.
• R. Pranesh, M. Hemanathan, K. M. Kiran Babu, and S. Sendhilkumar, “Mechanical characterization of glass fiber aluminium reinforced riveted joints,” FME Transactions, vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 89–92, 2017. DOI: 10.5937/fmet1701089P.
• K. M. Kiran Babu and S. Sendhil Kumar, “Fatigue life extension of riveted joints using fiber metal laminate reinforcement,” Polymers and Polymer Composites, vol. 24, no. 7, pp. 517–522, 2016.
• M. Mugunthan, D. Pravalika, K. M. Kiran Babu, and S. S. Kumar, “Flow field investigation of flat bottom aerofoil under ground effect,” IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (IOSR-JMCE), vol. 12, pp. 83–88, 2015.
• S. Vijayan, S. Sendhilkumar, and K. M. Kiran Babu, “Design and analysis of automotive chassis considering cross-section and material,” International Journal of Current Research, vol. 7, no. 05, pp. 15 697–15 701, 2015.
• B. S. Kumar et. al. , “Fabrication of fibre metal laminate (fml) and evaluation of its mechanical properties,” International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, vol. 9, no. 26, pp. 8872–8874, 2014.
• N. N. Reddy, P. Manivannan, and K. M. Kiran Babu, “The cfd analysis of turbulence characteristics in combustion chamber with non circular co-axial jets,” IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (IOSR-JMCE), vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 01–10, 2013.

Conference Proceedings

• K. M. Kiran Babu and R. S. Pant, “Phase change balloons for venus exploration: Conceptual design and initial sizing,” in AIAA AVIATION FORUM AND ASCEND, 2024, p. 4119. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2024-4119.
• K. M. Kiran Babu, H. Nikham, and R. Pant, “Trajectory dynamics simulation of a phase change lighter-than-air system,” in AIAA AVIATION 2022 Forum, 2022, p. 3421. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2022-3421.
• K. M. Kiran Babu, S. Gulawani, and R. S. Pant, “Multi-disciplinary design optimization studies on buoyant system for exploring venusian atmosphere,” vol. 44, 2022, p. 3363. DOI: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022cosp…44.3363K/abstract.
• A. Magar, S. S. Gulawani, K. M. Kiran Babu, and R. S. Pant, “Numerical investigation of laminar to turbulent boundary layer transition over airship envelopes,” in Lighter Than Air Systems: Proceedings of the International Conference on Design and Engineering of Lighter-Than-Air Systems 2022 (DELTAs-2022), Springer, 2022, pp. 167–181. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-6049-9_12.
• K. M. Kiran Babu, S. S. Gulawani, and R. S. Pant, “Trajectory modeling of phase change lighter-than-air system for venus exploration: A multi disciplinary approach,” in AIAA AVIATION 2021 FORUM, 2021, p. 2985. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-2985.
• K. M. Kiran Babu, N. N. Reddy, and P. Manivannan, “Computational study of scram jet combustor with a co-axial strut fuel injector,” in 2017 2nd International Conference for Convergence in Technology (I2CT), IEEE, 2017, pp. 1010–1013. DOI: 10.1109/I2CT.2017.8226281.
• S. Yuvaraj, K. M. Kiran Babu, P. Kaleeshwaran, and S. Tamilselvan, “Design of expert combustion monitoring system,” in Innovative Design and Development Practices in Aerospace and Automotive Engineering: I-DAD, February 22-24, 2016, Springer, 2017, pp. 231–238.
• E. Z. Rajan, T. Gowthaman, C. Ganesan, K. Balaji, and K. M. Kiran Babu, “Wind tunnel testing of naca 0021 aerofoil with co-flow jet,” in ICSSCCET 2015, 2015, p. 17.

Google Scholar Profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AF3lO08AAAAJ&hl=en

• Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Ecole Centrale School of Engineering, Mahindra University, Hyderabad. (June 2025 – Till Date)
• Associate Professor, Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Annasaheb Dange College of Engineering and Technology, Ashta, Sangli, Maharashtra. (Mar 2023 – May 2025)
• Assistant Professor, Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Annasaheb Dange College of Engineering and Technology, Ashta, Sangli, Maharashtra. (Jul 2022 – Feb 2022)
• Project Research Scientist, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra. (Jun 2021 – Jun 2022)
• Assistant Professor, Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Annasaheb Dange College of Engineering and Technology, Ashta, Sangli, Maharashtra. (Jan 2016 – May 2021)
• Assistant Professor, Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Karpagam Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. (Jun 2013 – Jan 2016)

Research Areas and Themes

• Lighter-Than-Air Systems/Buoyant Systems
• Autonomous Aerial Systems
• Sustainable Aviation