The Department of Aeronautical Engineering was first established in 1993 under the Director of Academic Studies as a separate Department at KDU. Prior to its establishment, all Officer Cadets who were enlisted to the Technical Engineering branch of the Sri Lanka Air Force through KDU were awarded bachelorettes in Defence Studies based on a Mechanical Engineering background. Considering the requirements of the nation and the evolving technologies used within the Sri Lanka Air Force, the need was felt to establish an educational element which produced competent officers with a sound Aeronautical Engineering background. The first batch of Officer Cadets for the Aeronautical Engineering degree programme was enlisted to KDU in 1993 (Intake 11) and they were graduated in the year 1997.