Postdoc Fellowship, Low-Cost Propulsion for Attritable Drone Swarm

The emergence of attritable uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) is transforming modern defence concepts by enabling large-scale autonomous swarms. Realizing this vision requires propulsion systems that are substantially less expensive than conventional piston or gas-turbine engines. Detonation engines offer a promising alternative. Consisting essentially of simple-geometry tubes. This project proposes the development and evaluation of a novel inlet architecture for detonation engines. The proposed research will combine computational fluid dynamics and experimental validation to establish the feasibility of the proposed detonation engine inlets. Successful demonstration could enable a new generation of low-cost, high-efficiency propulsion systems for attritable UAS.

Education

PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.

Experience

• Basic experience in design for additive manufacturing (ceramic and/or metal);
• Basic experience using advanced cooling technologies;
• Basic experience in compressible flow (shock wave and/or detonation).

Language requirements

English

Condition of employment

Reliability Status

For a Reliability Status, verification of background information over a period of 5 years is required.

Who is eligible?

Fellowships will be for two years contingent on satisfactory progress achieved during the first year.

Candidates should have obtained a PhD (or equivalent) within the past three years (PhD received on or after July 1, 2024*) or expect to complete their PhD within 6 months of appointment.

Fellows will work in a lab under the direct supervision of an NRC researcher.

* Exceptions may be considered to recognize personal or family related leave. Please connect with us using the contact information below to discuss in more detail.