What is BE/BTech Aerospace Engineering Course? - Salary, Career Scope and Best Colleges in India

Aerospace Engineering Eligibility Criteria

• Educational Qualifications: Candidates interested in Aerospace Engineering field must first complete their 10+12 education from any State or central board in india.
• Academic Background & Subjects: Aerospace engineering in India comes under the field of science and technology. For which the candidate should have class 11 and class 12 from Science stream. And Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) in class 12 should be the main subject of the candidate.
• Minimum Marks: For Aerospace Engineering a candidate must have obtained 55% to 60% marks in class 12 examination.
• Entrance Examinations: Aerospace engineering is a challenging and precise field. Most of the universities and educational institutions in India (IIT, IISE) admit candidates on the basis of performance in the entrance examinations. And for admission in a good reputed educational institution it is very important for the candidate to pass the entrance examination.

Aerospace Engineering Skill Required

• Strong mathematical knowledge: The field of aerospace engineering relies heavily on complex calculations and modeling. Mathematics is widely used in the design, analysis, flight dynamics, control systems, and structural analysis of aircraft and spacecraft.
• Strong physics knowledge: Physics is of utmost importance in aerospace engineering to understand the motion, stability, and performance of aircraft and spacecraft.
• Problem-solving skills: Aerospace engineering is a field that relies heavily on problem-solving skills. To enter this field the candidate must have problem-solving skills.
• Attention to detail: The candidate must have attention to detail skills to focus on the functioning of aircraft and spacecraft, correctly identify design flaws, detect problems, and solve them effectively.
• Creativity and innovation: Candidates must have innovative thinking and a creative mindset to develop new designs and techniques in aerospace engineering.
• Teamwork: Engineers have to collaborate with people from different departments and teams to work on aerospace projects for which the candidate must have teamwork skills.

Aerospace Engineering Branches

Aerospace engineering is divided into two branches.

• Aeronautical Engineering
• Astronautical Engineering

Aerospace Engineering Specializations

• Aerodynamics: In aerospace engineering aerodynamics focuses on the airflow dynamics of aircraft and spacecraft. It is used in the design and testing of aircraft. This involves analyzing the forces acting on objects moving through air or space using fluid dynamics.
• Propulsion Systems: Propulsion systems focus on the mechanisms that generate the required power and thrust to drive aircraft and spacecraft. This specialization involves the design, analysis, and optimization of aircraft and spacecraft engines, propulsion systems, and fuel systems.
• Avionics: Avionics deals with the design and development of electronic systems in aircraft and spacecraft. This includes studying and improving communication, navigation, flight control systems, radar, and monitoring systems. Avionics engineers design electrical circuits, sensors, computers, and software that enhance the safety, performance, and efficiency of the vehicle.
• Aerospace Structures: Aerospace structures teach the design, analysis, and development of the physical framework of aircraft and spacecraft. This specialization focuses on creating structures using lightweight and strong materials, such as composites and alloys.
• Spacecraft Design: Spacecraft design involves the design and development of spacecraft used for space exploration, satellite communication, and research.
• Flight Mechanics and Control Systems: Flight mechanics and control systems focus on understanding and controlling the motion and stability of aircraft and spacecraft.
• Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer: This specialization is used to improve the thermal management and energy efficiency of aerospace systems.
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) engineers optimize designs for better performance of aircraft and spacecraft, including wing shapes, engine airflow, and propulsion efficiency.
• Satellite Engineering: Satellite engineering focuses on the design, development, and operation of satellites.

Aerospace Engineering Core Subjects

• Introduction to Aerospace Engineering
• Basic Electrical Engineering
• Aerodynamics
• Heat Transfer
• Thermodynamics
• Propulsion
• Fluid Mechanics
• Control Systems and Avionics
• Spacecraft Systems
• Aircraft and Spacecraft Structures
• Flight Mechanics and Control Systems

Aerospace Engineering Career Options

• Aircraft Design Engineer: An aircraft design engineer designs various types of aircraft such as helicopters, military planes, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones).
• Spacecraft Design Engineer: A spacecraft design engineer designs spacecraft for space missions like satellite deployment, space exploration, and communication.
• Flight Test Engineer: A flight test engineer checks whether the aircraft and spacecraft function properly. If any issues arise during testing they send the vehicle for repair.
• Systems Engineer: A systems engineer integrates different subsystems and components into aerospace systems and ensures that all parts work together correctly.
• Aeronautics and Astronautics Researcher: An aeronautics and astronautics researcher conducts research to develop new technologies, improve materials, and enhance the performance, efficiency, and safety of systems.
• Space Exploration Operations: Space exploration operations involve planning space missions, monitoring the performance of launched spacecraft, and troubleshooting any problems that arise during missions.
• Mechanical Engineer: There is significant overlap between aerospace and mechanical engineering since both fields focus on fundamental engineering principles such as mechanics, thermodynamics, materials science, and structural analysis. Because of this aerospace engineers possess all the knowledge and skills that a mechanical engineer has.
• Electrical Engineer or Avionics Engineer: With additional training and experience an aerospace engineer can also work as an electrical engineer. For example, they can design an aircrafts avionics system, electrical distribution system, and control systems.

1. Private Sector

• Aircraft Manufacturing Companies
• Space Exploration Organizations
• Defense Contractors
• Aviation Companies
• Advanced Aerospace Aviation Industry
• Research Organizations
• Academic Institutions
• Tech Giants

2. Government Sector

• Space Agencies
• Defense Organizations
• Public Sector Units (PSU)
• Research and Development Organizations
• Civil Aviation Authorities
• Educational and Training Institutes

1. Space Agencies

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
• Antrix Corporation Limited
• Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACE)
• ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC)

2. Aerospace Company

• Skyroot Aerospace
• TeamIndus
• Agnikul Cosmos
• Bellatrix Aerospace
• Dhruva Space

3. Defence Contractors

• DRDO
• Bharat Electronics Ltd.
• Tata Airbus
• Bharat Dynamics Ltd.
• BrahMos Aerospace
• Mahindra Defence
• Bharat Forge Ltd.
• Samtel Avionics
• TATA POWER SED
• L&T India
• Alpha Design Technologies Pvt Ltd.

4. Aircraft Manufacturers

• Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
• Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL)
• National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL)
• Mahindra Aerospace
• Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA)
• Dynamatic Technologies Limited.

5. Aviation Services

• Indamer Aviation
• Deccan Charters
• Bird Group
• GMR Aviation
• Taneja Aerospace & Aviation Limited (TAAL)

1. Space Agencies

• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
• ESA (European Space Agency)
• Roscosmos (Russian Federal Space Agency)
• JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
• CSA (Canadian Space Agency)
• SpaceX
• Blue Origin
• Rocket Lab

2. Aircraft Manufacturers

• Dassault Aviation
• Lockheed Martin Corporation
• Embraer
• Boeing
• Airbus
• Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation
• Sukhoi Civil Aircraft
• Textron Aviation
• Bombardier Inc

3. Defence Contractors

• Lockheed Martin
• Boeing Defense, Space & Security
• Raytheon Technologies Corporation
• RTX Corporation
• Thales Group
• Rostec
• Rolls-Royce Holdings
• Northrop Grumman

Aerospace Engineering Job Location

• Bangalore - ISRO headquarter, HAL, Boeing, Aerospace Startups.
• Hyderabad - ISRO Space center, Bharat Dynamics Limited, GMR Aerospace, BHEL, R&D and manufacturing units.
• Pune - Tata Aerospace and Engineering, R&D and training institutions.
• Delhi - Headquarter of major aerospace and defense, DRDO and HAL.
• Chennai - Key player of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and several aerospace suppliers are based here.
• Mumbai - Mahindra Aerospace, aviation-related service providers.
• Nagpur - Nagpur Aerospace Park.
• Kolkata - Aerospace firms and suppliers.
• Gurgaon - Aerospace and defense multinational companies.
• Ahmedabad - Adani Aerospace and Defense.

1. M.Tech

• M.Tech in Aerospace Engineering
• M.Tech in Aeronautical Engineering
• M.Tech in Avionics
• M.Tech in Space Technology
• M.Tech in Aerospace Structure
• M.Tech in Propulsion
• M.Tech in Robotics and Automation

2. MBA

• MBA in Aviation Management
• MBA in Project Management
• MBA in Human Resource Management (HRM)
• MBA in Finance
• MBA in Marketing

3. M.Sc

• M.Sc. in Space Science and Technology
• M.Sc. in Physics
• M.Sc. in Astronomy and Astrophysics
• M.Sc. in Atmospheric Science
• M.Sc. in Materials Science
• M.Sc. in Robotics and Automation
• M.Sc. in Computational Sciences
• M.Sc. in Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing
• M.Sc. in Mathematics
• M.Sc. in Computer Science

Aerospace Engineering Advantages

• Growing Demand: The Indian aerospace industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. A prime example of this can be taken from organizations like ISRO and DRDO in which both these organizations have made significant contributions, some of these contributions have been seen in recent years such as projects like Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), Chandrayaan and Aditya-L1 mission launched by ISRO as well as missiles and other advanced defense equipment manufactured by DRDO.
• Prestigous Job: Aerospace engineers gain prestige in the society due to their contribution to science and technology, high-tech innovation, national defense and space exploration and working with prestigious organizations like ISRO, DRDO, BHEL, etc.
• Contribution to Societal Progress: Aerospace engineers also play a huge role in the development of society. Engineers in this field make major contributions in making satellite communication, better aircraft safety, advanced propulsion systems, energy-efficient aircraft, defense radar systems, air traffic management systems which can be seen having an impact on society and the country.
• Global Opportunities: The Indian aerospace industry is associated with organizations of other countries of the world such as NASA, JAXA, European Space Agency, and Lockheed Martin. Which also gives talented engineers the opportunity to work with these organizations.
• Exciting Field: Aerospace engineering is an exciting and dynamic field that offers engineers the opportunity to work on new and advanced projects.
• Diverse Career Paths: Aerospace Engineering does not depend on just one path but offers a wide range of career paths giving graduates the opportunity to work in research laboratories, defense sector, space organizations, private airline industry.
• New Learning Opportunity: In the field of aerospace engineering new technology is constantly being developed and researched, which gives engineers in this field the opportunity to constantly learn something new.

Aerospace Engineering Disadvantages

• High academic standards and competition: The field of aerospace engineering is very difficult and challenging, which requires students to be strong in mathematics, physics and engineering principles. Students have to work very hard to get admission in this field. Also most of the top aerospace engineering companies and organizations give first preference to students who have completed their studies from IITs or other prestigious universities.
• Rigorous curriculum: Aerospace engineering curriculum is extremely rigorous and intense with students being given complex assignments and projects that require a lot of time and effort to complete. However tight deadlines are common in this field especially when engineers work in the real world.
• High Education Cost: The fees for Aerospace Engineering are very high for direct admission students.
• Limited jobs around the world: The field of aerospace engineering is not distributed around the world, i.e. not all countries in the world have aerospace industries, most countries depend on other developed countries to fulfill their aerospace needs. These fields are limited to only developed countries where aerospace industries are established. This makes it challenging for students who want to get a job in aerospace engineering in another country.
• Long Development Cycles: Aerospace engineers jobs involve long-term projects that take several years to complete. For example, it takes engineers 18 months to 2 years to build a rocket, and 4 to 5 years to build a passenger plane.
• Complexity and Attention: Aerospace engineering requires a lot of care and precision to carry out any projects. Even a small mistake can lead to the failure of the mission. to avoid which the engineers need to understand the projects thoroughly and pay attention to every detail.

Famous Indian Aerospace Engineers

• Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam - Misile Man and former President of India.
• Dr. Satish Dhawan - Father of indian fluid mechanics and Former Chairman of ISRO.
• Mr. K. Radhakrishnan - Former Chairman of ISRO (Mangalyaan - 1).
• Dr. G. Madhavan Nair - Former Chairman of ISRO (Chandrayaan - 1).
• K. Sivan - Former Chairman of ISRO (Chandrayaan - 2).
• S. Somanath - Chairman of ISRO (Chandrayaan - 3).
• Nambi Narayanan - Indian aerospace scientist.
• Ram Narain Agarwal - Father of agni series misile.
• Gopal Gaonkar - Helicopter dynamic researcher.
• Vishnu Madav Ghatage - leader of the first Indian designed and built HAL HT-2 aircraft.
• Rustom Damania - Developed NAL's Light Canard Research Aircraft, which later became DRDO Rustom.
• Stephen Hector Taylor-Smith - Developed techniques of delivering mail by rocket.
• Tessy Thomas - First indian female scientist to head a missile project and former Project Director of Agni - IV missile in DRDO.