Engineers unveil prototype for ‘crash-proof’ plane following Air India disaster
If a crash is “unavoidable below 3,000 feet,” the airbags (pictured in this illustration) activate automatically — although the captain can still abort their deployment at this point. PROJECT REBIRTH
In response to the recent Air India tragedy, two engineers have unveiled an ambitious new safety system designed to help airplanes survive catastrophic failures. Their invention? External airbags for planes.
The futuristic concept, called Project REBIRTH, was developed by Eshel Wasim and Dharsan Srinivasan, engineering students at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science’s Dubai campus. It has earned a spot as a finalist in the James Dyson Award, which honors innovative solutions to real-world problems.
Billed as the world’s first AI-powered crash survival system, Project REBIRTH is designed to detect imminent collisions and deploy protective measures mid-air — turning potentially fatal crashes into survivable emergency landings.
“When a crash becomes unavoidable below 3,000 feet, the system deploys in under two seconds,” the creators explain. Smart airbags rapidly inflate from the aircraft’s nose, belly, and tail, enveloping the fuselage in a protective cushion. The design resembles something out of a science fiction film — but it’s grounded in real, testable engineering.
The system uses a network of AI sensors to monitor critical flight data, including altitude, speed, engine performance, direction, onboard fires, and pilot responses. If it determines a crash is imminent, the system automatically activates.
But REBIRTH offers more than just airbags. If the engines are functional, reverse thrust can be used to slow descent. If not, small gas thrusters stabilize and reduce the impact velocity. Inside the cabin, walls and seats are lined with impact-absorbing fluid that remains soft under normal conditions but hardens instantly on impact — minimizing injuries.
The creators say REBIRTH can be retrofitted to existing aircraft or integrated into new builds. They plan to collaborate with aerospace labs to conduct crash sled tests and wind tunnel simulations as the next step toward real-world application.
The idea for REBIRTH was born from grief. The engineers say they were deeply affected by the June 2025 crash of Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board.
“After the crash, my mother couldn’t sleep,” one of the engineers wrote. “She kept thinking about the fear those passengers and pilots must have felt, knowing there was no way out. That helplessness haunted us. Why isn’t there a system for survival after failure?”
That personal anguish, they said, led to months of intense research and design. “REBIRTH is more than engineering — it’s a response to grief. A promise that survival can be planned, and that even after failure, there can be a second chance.”
While the project is still in its early stages, the team hopes to one day see REBIRTH implemented across the aviation industry. If they win the James Dyson Award on November 5, they’ll receive over $40,000 to help bring their idea closer to reality.
But for Wasim and Srinivasan, the motivation goes beyond money or recognition.
“This competition is our first step in bringing our vision forward — not for fame, but with the hope that one day, it may help save lives when all else fails,” they said.
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