BITS Pilani-incubated Apollyon Dynamics sets new speed record in India with 498 km/h interceptor drone
Evolving from a Rs 2 lakh student grant to a defence-tech breakthrough, the startup’s electric interceptor drone Ahuti Mk II is South Asia’s fastest multirotor UAV.
Hyderabad-based defence tech startup Apollyon Dynamics has entered the India Book of Records after its electric interceptor drone, Ahuti Mk II, clocked a certified top speed of 498 km/h.
This is also the fastest speed recorded by a multirotor UAV in South Asia based on public data, says the company.
Founded in 2025 by Jayant Khatri and Sourya Choudhary, the company was incubated at BITS Pilani Hyderabad campus. It develops autonomous aerial systems for the Indian armed forces and has already fielded platforms with the Army.
The record-setting Ahuti Mk II was engineered by Aman Virani, Manas Vichare, and Ishaan Suri, evolving from the original Ahuti prototype that reached ~300 km/h in 2025.
Khatri's journey began with a Rs 2 lakh SOLVE grant at BITS Pilani, which funded his first 3D printer and motors for a prosthetics project. That early support laid the foundation for Apollyon Dynamics’ high-performance UAVs.
“Reaching a certified top speed of 498 km/h is an important validation of our engineering approach and the work undertaken by the team,” said Khatri.
“The journey from approximately 300 km/h with the original Ahuti in 2025 to 498 km/h with Ahuti Mk II in less than a year involved extensive testing, iteration and refinement,” said Choudhary. “The record is a reflection of the team’s sustained effort to develop and test a high-speed unmanned platform.”
Ahuti Mk II is designed for high-speed interception of hostile drones and loitering munitions.
The company’s roadmap includes developing a Power Cruise Missile platform by 2030, combining speed, autonomy, scalability, and cost efficiency.
“The development of Ahuti Mk II shows how an academic and entrepreneurial ecosystem can translate engineering ideas into real-world defence applications,” said Prof V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani.
For BITS Pilani, the achievement underscores the role of its Technology Business Incubator in nurturing deeptech ventures that move from hostel-room experiments to nationally recognised milestones.