BITS Pilani Hyderabad Startup Apollyon Dynamics Enters India Book of Records with 498 km/h UAV
Hyderabad, September 3, 2026: Apollyon Dynamics, a defence technology startup incubated at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, has entered the India Book of Records after its electric interceptor, Ahuti Mk II, achieved a certified top speed of 498 km/h.
The UAV has been recognised for the Maximum Speed Achieved by a Multirotor UAV. The achievement marks a major milestone for the startup, which was founded by Jayant Khatri and Sourya Choudhary and incorporated in 2025.
The record-setting Ahuti Mk II was developed by Aman Virani (Shady), Manas Vichare and Ishaan Suri. Apollyon Dynamics is working on autonomous aerial and unmanned systems for the Indian armed forces and has fielded systems with the Indian Army.
From Student Innovation to UAV Speed Record
The startup's journey has its roots in BITS Pilani's SOLVE programme, which supports undergraduate students in developing prototypes and turning innovative ideas into enterprises.
As a second-year student, Jayant Khatri received a ₹2 lakh SOLVE grant for a prosthetics project. The funding enabled him to purchase a 3D printer, motors and other components that later contributed to the development of the first Ahuti drone.
What began as experimentation during his student years eventually developed into Apollyon Dynamics and its high-performance unmanned aerial systems.
Ahuti Mk II Speed Increased by Nearly 200 km/h
The Ahuti Mk II evolved from the original Ahuti platform, which achieved a speed of around 300 km/h in 2025.
The team subsequently rebuilt the aircraft for a high-speed interceptor role designed to counter hostile drones and loitering munitions. In less than a year, the platform's top speed increased to 498 km/h, representing a gain of nearly 200 km/h and an approximately 66% increase over the original platform.
The development was driven by the changing nature of aerial threats and the growing use of unmanned platforms and loitering munitions. For an interceptor, the ability to rapidly close the distance to an aerial threat makes speed an important performance characteristic.
Jayant Khatri, Co-founder, Apollyon Dynamics, said: “Ahuti Mk II was developed with a specific focus on high-speed interception, which required us to rethink the aircraft’s design and performance parameters. Reaching a certified top speed of 498 km/h is an important validation of the engineering approach and the work undertaken by the team.”
Sourya Choudhary, Co-founder, Apollyon Dynamics, said: “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. The record is a reflection of the team’s sustained effort to develop and test a high-speed unmanned platform.”
Focus on Autonomous Defence Systems
Apollyon Dynamics' technology development approach combines speed, precision, autonomy, scalability and cost efficiency. The company says its design philosophy is reflected in its motto, “Precision is Mercy”, with a focus on unmanned systems for high-risk engagements and reducing personnel exposure.
The startup is also working towards improving cost efficiency while increasing the effectiveness of unmanned systems.
Commenting on the achievement, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said that the development of Ahuti Mk II demonstrates how an academic and entrepreneurial ecosystem can help translate engineering ideas into real-world applications.
He added that BITS Pilani was pleased to see technology emerging from its Hyderabad Campus ecosystem progress from development and testing to a recognised achievement in unmanned systems.
Apollyon Dynamics' Roadmap
As part of its longer-term roadmap, Apollyon Dynamics has set an objective of developing a Power Cruise Missile platform by 2030. The company's roadmap focuses on combining capability, scalability and cost efficiency in unmanned defence technology.
The India Book of Records recognition marks a significant milestone for Ahuti Mk II and highlights the engineering and testing undertaken by the team.
For BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus, the achievement also showcases the role of its Technology Business Incubator (TBI) in supporting the development of technologies with potential real-world applications.
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