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 achievement has earned recognition for the Maximum Speed Achieved by a Multirotor UAV. Based on currently available public data, the company said no other multirotor aircraft in South Asia has matched or exceeded this speed.
Founded by Jayant Khatri and Sourya Choudhary, Apollyon Dynamics was incorporated in 2025 and is incubated at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad campus. The company develops autonomous aerial and unmanned systems for the Indian armed forces and has fielded systems with the Indian Army.
The record-setting Ahuti Mk II was developed by Aman Virani (Shady), Manas Vichare and Ishaan Suri.
From hostel room to high-speed interceptor
Khatri’s journey towards building Apollyon Dynamics was supported by the SOLVE programme at BITS Pilani, an innovation initiative that helps undergraduate students convert ideas into prototypes and business enterprises.
As a second-year student, Khatri received a ₹2 lakh grant for a prosthetics project. The funding enabled him to purchase his first 3D printer, motors and other components, which subsequently contributed to the development of the first Ahuti drone.
The early recognition and support encouraged Khatri to pursue his interest in developing innovative technologies. What began as experimentation in his hostel room eventually laid the foundation for Apollyon Dynamics and its high-performance unmanned aerial systems.
Speed gains nearly 200 km/h
Ahuti Mk II evolved from the original Ahuti, which achieved a speed of approximately 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, its top speed increased to 498 km/h — a gain of nearly 200 km/h and approximately 66% over the original platform.
The development has been driven by the changing nature of aerial threats, including the growing deployment of low-cost unmanned platforms and loitering munitions.
Unlike conventional multirotor UAVs, an interceptor needs to close the distance against an aerial threat rapidly, making speed a critical performance parameter.
Apollyon Dynamics, Co-founder, Jayant Khatri, said the Ahuti Mk II was developed specifically around the requirements of high-speed interception.
“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,” Khatri said.
Apollyon Dynamics, Co-founder, Sourya Choudhary, said the progress 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,” Choudhary said.
Focus on speed, autonomy and cost
Apollyon Dynamics’ approach combines speed, precision, autonomy, scalability and cost efficiency in the development of unmanned defence systems.
Its design philosophy is reflected in the motto, “Precision is Mercy,” with the company focusing on the use of unmanned systems in high-risk engagements and reducing personnel exposure.
The startup also aims to lower the cost per kilogram-kilometre while increasing lethality per kilometre.
BITS Pilani, Group Vice Chancellor, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, said the development of Ahuti Mk II demonstrates how an academic and entrepreneurial ecosystem can help translate engineering ideas into real-world applications.
“The development of Ahuti Mk II is an example of how an academic and entrepreneurial ecosystem can support the translation of engineering ideas into real-world applications. We are pleased to see the work emerging from the BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus ecosystem progress from development and testing to a recognised achievement in unmanned systems,” Rao said.
Roadmap to 2030
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 milestone in the development of Ahuti Mk II and reflects the engineering and testing undertaken by the team.
For BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, the achievement also highlights the role of its technology business incubator in supporting the development of technologies with applications beyond the academic ecosystem.