The Indian defense technology startup Apollyon Dynamics, based in Hyderabad, has entered the Book of Records of India after its electric interceptor drone, Ahuti Mk II, demonstrated a certified maximum speed of 498 km/h.
The company stated that this is also the highest speed recorded for a multirotor UAV in South Asia according to publicly available data. Apollyon Dynamics was founded in 2025 by Jayant Khatri and Saurya Choudhary and was incubated at the BITS Pilani campus in Hyderabad. The company develops autonomous aerial systems for the Indian armed forces and has already utilized its platforms in the Army.
The Ahuti Mk II drone, which set the record, was designed by Aman Virani, Manas Vichare, and Ishaan Suri. It is an evolution of the original Ahuti prototype, which achieved a speed of about 300 km/h in 2025.
Khatri's journey began with a SOLVE grant of 2 lakh rupees at BITS Pilani, which helped purchase the first 3D printer and motors for a prosthetics project. This early support laid the foundation for Apollyon Dynamics' high-performance UAVs.
Khatri noted that achieving a certified maximum speed of 498 km/h is an important confirmation of their engineering approach and team's work. Choudhary added that the transition from approximately 300 km/h with the original Ahuti in 2025 to 498 km/h with Ahuti Mk II in less than a year required extensive testing, iterations, and refinements, and the record reflects the team's continuous efforts to create and test a high-speed unmanned platform.
The Ahuti Mk II is designed for high-speed interception of hostile drones and loitering munitions. The company plans to develop the Power Cruise missile platform by 2030, which will combine speed, autonomy, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
Professor V. Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani, emphasized that the development of Ahuti Mk II demonstrates how the academic and entrepreneurial ecosystem can transform engineering ideas into real defense applications. For BITS Pilani, this achievement highlights the significance of its Technology Business Incubator in supporting deep tech enterprises that move from dormitory room experiments to nationally recognized milestones.