Research

Current areas of interest

Guidance and control of autonomous aerial vehicles.

Publications

• Joseph, A., Manathara, J.G., & Ramakrishna, P.A., Throttle-controlled internal combustion engines as propulsion and control units for high endurance quadrotors: A feasibility study, Aerospace Science and Technology, Volume 168, Part B, 110867, 2026 (January 2026). doi:10.1016/j.ast.2025.110867

  Graphical abstract Blog entry
• Ravi Kumar, Santanu Ghosh, & Joel George M., Aerodynamic investigations of a low-drag rectangular wing with discontinuous and seamless smooth camber-morphed flaps, Aerospace Science and Technology, Volume 175, 2026 (August 2026). doi:10.1016/j.ast.2026.111879

  Graphical abstract
• Ravi Kumar, Santanu Ghosh, & Joel George Manathara, Numerical investigations of camber-morphed flap-elevator systems in trimmed flight, Journal of Aircraft, Articles in Advance, 2026 (May 2026). doi:10.2514/1.C038739

  Graphical abstract Blog entry
• Kedarisetty, S. and Manathara, J.G., Multirotor Microgravity Platforms, Advances in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - New Trends and Applications - Big Issues Solved with Drone Technology, In A. Grau and R. Munguia (Eds.), IntechOpen, 2025 (April 2025). doi:10.5772/intechopen.1010030

  Read online
• Bhadran, A., Manathara, J.G., & Ramakrishna, P.A., Soft landing of a hybrid rocket thruster powered platform: Hardware-in-the-loop simulation, International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences, Volume 26, pages 1800–1812, 2025 (August 2024). doi:10.1007/s42405-024-00810-9

  Graphical abstract Blog entry Media Coverage Linkedin Post
• Swaminathan, B. & Manathara, J.G., Learning aircraft spin dynamics from measurement data using Hankel DMDc with error in variables, Aerospace, 12(9), 816, 2025 (September 2025). doi:10.3390/aerospace12090816

  Graphical abstract Blog entry
• Krishna, P. R. & Manathara, J. G., Period-multiplying bifurcations in the gravitational field of asteroids, Aerospace, 11(4), 316, 2024 (April 2024). doi:10.3390/aerospace11040316

  Graphical abstract Blog entry
• Kedarisetty, S. & Manathara, J.G., Novel empirical models for estimating aerodynamic coefficients of small UAV propellers, Aerospace Systems, Volume 6, pages 457–471, 2023 (February 2023). doi:10.1007/s42401-023-00203-y

  Graphical abstract Blog entry
• Kedarisetty, S. & Manathara, J.G., Performance assessment framework for multirotor UAV microgravity platforms, Microgravity Science and Technology, Volume 35, article number 52, 2023 (September 2023). doi:10.1007/s12217-023-10074-9

  Graphical abstract Blog entry
• Bhadran, A., Manathara, J.G., & Ramakrishna, P.A., Thrust control of lab-scale hybrid rocket motor with wax-aluminum fuel and air as oxidizer, Aerospace, 9(9), 474, 2022 (September 2022). doi:10.3390/aerospace9090474

  Graphical abstract Blog entry
• Kedarisetty, S. & Manathara, J.G., Acceleration control of a multi-rotor UAV towards achieving microgravity, Aerospace Systems, Volume 2, pages 175–188, 2019 (October 2019). doi:10.1007/s42401-019-00031-z

  Graphical abstract Blog entry News report