Engineers unveil bonkers prototype for ‘crash-proof’ plane following Air India disaster

Call them airplane bags.

In nan aftermath of nan tragic Air India crash, engineers person designed a caller AI-powered information strategy to forestall early in-flight mishaps. What they came up pinch seems conscionable plane ridiculous — an craft equipped pinch extracurricular airbags — but it apparently could prevention lives.

The Michelin Man-esque anti-crash concept, dubbed Project REBIRTH, is simply a finalist for nan prestigious James Dyson Award, which spotlights inventions that tin alteration nan world.

“Project REBIRTH is nan first AI-powered clang endurance system,” sounds nan explanation of nan pillowy protective measure connected nan site. “It deploys smart airbags, impact-absorbing fluids, and reverse thrust mid-air — turning fatal crashes into survivable landings.”

AI sensors tin reportedly observe erstwhile a clang is astir to happen, prompting airbags to deploy and cocoon nan fuselage, evoking a elephantine portion of popped popcorn. In theory, this protective padding ensures that nan landing isn’t deadly aliases violent, sloppy of nan plane’s velocity.

The designers, engineers Eshel Wasim and Dharsan Srinivasan of nan Birla Institute of Technology and Science’s Dubai campus, were reportedly inspired by nan tragic Air India Flight 171 fiasco successful June.

The 787-8 Dreamliner reportedly collapsed successful Ahmedabad — a metropolis of astir 5 cardinal group — conscionable 30 seconds aft taking disconnected en way to London, UK, killing each but 1 of nan 242 group aboard.

“After nan June 2025 Ahmedabad crash, my mother couldn’t sleep,” 1 of nan creators wrote. “She kept reasoning astir nan fearfulness nan passengers and pilots must person felt, knowing location was nary measurement out. That helplessness haunted us. Why isn’t location a strategy for endurance aft failure?”

The inventors added, “That affectional large wind became hours of investigation and design. REBIRTH is much than engineering — it’s a consequence to grief. A committedness that endurance tin beryllium planned, and that moreover aft failure, location tin beryllium a 2nd chance.”

The state-of-the-art AI strategy useful by keeping tabs connected nan altitude, speed, motor status, direction, fire, and aviator response, truthful it tin make an informed determination should an emergency beryllium imminent.

If a clang is “unavoidable beneath 3,000 feet,” nan airbags activate automatically — though nan skipper tin still abort their deployment astatine this point.

The James Bond-evoking collision cushions, which are made of layered fabric, sprout retired “from nan nose, belly, and tail successful nether 2 sec,” absorbing effect and protecting nan plane’s body.

This sky-high straitjacket isn’t nan only facet of nan REBIRTH system. “If engines work, reverse thrust slows descent. If not, state thrusters activate,” they write. “This reduces velocity and stabilizes nan level by 8–20%.”

Meanwhile, impact-absorbing fluids down nan walls and seats “stay soft but harden connected effect to trim injuries” for illustration a safety-preserving shapeshifter.

The jet-setting engineers opportunity that nan airbags tin beryllium added to existing planes aliases installed successful caller ones and that they scheme to “partner pinch aerospace labs for clang sled and upwind passageway testing.”

A merchandise day for this groundbreaking information measurement is unclear, but nan engineers wrote that they want REBIRTH to beryllium “tested, approved, and utilized successful existent flights.”

If Wasim and Srinivasan triumph nan James Dyson Award, nan victor of which will beryllium announced connected November 5, nan duo will get complete $40,000 and nan chance to commencement their ain business.

However, nan squad claims their eventual extremity isn’t fame aliases financial glory.

“This title is our first measurement successful bringing our imagination forward—not for recognition, but pinch nan dream that 1 day, it whitethorn thief prevention lives erstwhile each other fails,” they wrote.