Boeing, the world’s second-largest commercial aircraft maker, is working on some key technologies in India for improving the aircraft’s efficiency and bringing down its operating costs. The technology once fully developed will help Boeing build a fuel-cell powered futuristic aircraft, which will be lighter and more fuel-efficient. Boeing is also looking for ways to improve its 787 Dreamliner.

In India, Boeing has collaborations with several institutions for development of aerospace technology. It has a tie-up with Indian Institute of Science for research in aerospace material, structures and manufacturing technologies. At IISc, they are developing and integrating advanced structural technologies to demonstrate how future aerospace structures can enhance an aircraft’s performance and reduce its weight by 25%. The new technologies will also help in cutting costs by 25%.

Boeing’s Bangalore Technology Centre, the third of its kind outside the US, will function as a centralised R&D organisation for its major business units and as a focal point for collaboration with Indian R&D organisations, including universities and private sector R&D providers. Boeing will add another 100 engineers at its Bangalore technology centre.