Students propose airbag system for planes

Two students from BITS Pilani Dubai have proposed an airbag system designed to protect an entire Boeing aircraft during a crash, inspired by the 2025 Air India flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people.

System uses AI to trigger airbags

The project, named REBIRTH, uses artificial intelligence to monitor an aircraft’s altitude and trigger inflatable airbags under 3,000 feet in less than two seconds, potentially reducing the impact of a crash by more than 60% according to simulations.

Crash details and cause identified

The Air India flight 171 crash occurred on June 12, 2025, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, killing 229 passengers and 12 crew members, with 19 additional fatalities on the ground. The preliminary report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) indicated that a double fuel cutoff in three seconds led to the crash.

Fuel cutoff issue previously warned about

The AAIB report noted that the scenario involving a double fuel cutoff had been previously warned about by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2018, highlighting a known risk in aircraft systems.

Project aims for commercial use

REBIRTH was preselected for the James Dyson Award 2025 but did not win. The students aim to create functional prototypes and seek certification for real commercial airplanes within five years, focusing on rapidly deployable airbags made from multi-layer materials.

Prototype built for testing

The students have built a 1:12 scale prototype of the system, equipped with sensors, microcontrollers, and CO₂ cartridges to simulate the inflation process. While the project did not win the James Dyson Award, it has received recognition, and the students are working toward developing functional prototypes and obtaining approval from aviation authorities.